To Live Just One More Day
by BohemiaLMM
Summary: This is what happens when you mix RENT, Final Fantasy, A Beautiful Mind, and real life together... One big family...two misunderstood members... their one bonding moment...
1. Default Chapter

Dedication: Lausanne MacKay and I would like to dedicate this story to Jonathan Larson; may his dear soul rest in peace. We would also like to dedicate this story to our friends and those we love. Also to all the stars that are mentioned in the story.  
Disclaimer: We own nothing in this story except for the house, this plot, and ourselves. All of the famous people mentioned are their own; we own no claims on them. Every musical, musical character, video-game character, and move character are not property of us. There are only a few made-up characters, which are ours', and some of the merchandise does not exist. Please don't sue us; we are merely fan-fiction writers.  
Author's Note: Finally, this story is finished. We have spent four months (November to February) role-playing this story and it has taken a month to write. Kyla Lynch gets the credit for writing; Lausanne MacKay was merely a proofreader and assisted in writing Valentine's Day. The songs "Kids Game" and "Tell Me It's Not True" are from Blood Brothers. Now, for character credits; Kyla played: herself, John, Mark, Yuffie, Irvine, Zell, Manley, Charlene, Cid, Shera, Sammy, Mr. and Mrs. Lynch, Mary-Anne, and Chey-Anne. Lausanne played: herself, Roger, Bender, Anthony, Lisa, Alex, and Mr. and Mrs. Melcher. Notice the difference? Hehe. Anyways, on to the story! 


	2. Prologue

Prologue  
  
It was a balmy September day in 2007. A young girl was walking along Eleventh Street in New York City. She was late for an audition. She accidentally dropped some of her papers. She knelt down to pick them up when she felt someone grab her around the waist and pull her back. She was flung into the alleyway. Some guys surrounded her. Her eyes filled with fear.  
  
"Hey, Lynch, this one's yours," one of the guys said.  
  
A girl, further in the alley, walked over. She couldn't have been any older than eighteen. She looked down at the first girl. She flung her cigarette out of her hand and stomped on it.  
  
"Hurry up, Lynch," another gang member said.  
  
Lynch looked up at him.  
  
"Shu'up, got it?" she demanded. She knelt down by the other girl and smiled evil - like. "Hello there. Let's just see how much you have on you." She reached into the girl's pocket.  
  
"Get away!" the girl demanded. She tried to get lose but the gang members held on tighter.  
  
Suddenly, a tall man with blonde hair looked into the alleyway.  
  
"HEY!" he said. "Get away from her!" He walked into the alley.  
  
Lynch looked up. "And why should I?" She stood up. "You.John Partridge - wannabe!"  
  
"I'm sick of that comment!" the man said.  
  
Lynch did a little 'whatever - I'm - better - than - you pose'. She smirked as she looked at this man up and down. Then, the leader of the gang, Russ, walked up and smirked at this man.  
  
"Roger Davis.what a pleasure to see you," Russ said.  
  
Roger looked at Russ. "Wish I could say the same for you." He looked back at Lynch. He walked up to her and the others. "Let the girl go."  
  
"No," Lynch said.  
  
Roger picked her up and flung her back. She landed on her back.  
  
"Fuck wad!" she yelled.  
  
Roger picked the one girl up and took her out of the alleyway. Lynch looked very offended. She walked up to him.  
  
"You've got to finish your fights, sir," she said, glaring.  
  
"I don't need to finish anything, half pint," Roger said. "Now you and your gang get lost."  
  
The first girl looked up at Roger.  
  
"Did that guy say your name was Roger Davis?" she asked. "Like.the Roger Davis from Rent?"  
  
Roger nodded. A guy who looked like Alex Melcher walked up to Roger.  
  
"Roger, have you been fighting again?" he asked.  
  
"Mark." Roger sighed. "No, I've been saving this young girl's pocket."  
  
"What?"  
  
"She was going to get robbed."  
  
"Oh, I get it."  
  
The girl looked from Mark to Roger, eyes wide and a big smile on her face.  
  
"You guys are from Rent!" she said. "This is too cool!"  
  
Lynch was just standing there, shocked. She just got into a fight with the Roger Davis! And this girl.  
  
"You remind me of a friend I had in grade eight and nine," she told the girl. "What's your name?"  
  
The girl looked at her. "Erm.Lausanne.Lausanne MacKay."  
  
Lynch's eyes widened. "Really? Man.I don't believe this. Lausanne, man, I'm Kyla! Y'know.Kyla Rose Lynch from Fulton?"  
  
Lausanne looked at her. "No way.no one's heard from Kyla for-"  
  
"Two and a half years," Kyla said. "So? Ran to my Uncle's in Vancouver, moved here after grad.and some things have happened."  
  
Lausanne looked at Kyla from top to bottom.  
  
"You've.became what you said you would become." Lausanne looked so stunned.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"You've.became this." Lausanne pointed up and down.  
  
Kyla nodded. "Yeah.hey, I've gotta go. Wanna meet me somewhere?"  
  
Lausanne looked at her. "Erm.sure. How about.Madison Square Garden at four? I'm got an audition to go to, which I'm already soon - to - be late for."  
  
Kyla nodded. "Sounds good to me." She smiled. "See ya." With that, she dashed off.  
  
Lausanne looked at her watch. It was past four.four thirty to be exact. She might have been patient, but this was a bit too ridiculous. Finally, there was a rustle of a bush and Kyla tripped out of it.  
  
"Took you long enough!" Lausanne said.  
  
Kyla got up. "Gee, you're acting as though I'm late for a date or something. Anyways, I had to wash up at Mary-Anne's-"  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Mary-Anne, my girlfriend," Kyla explained. "Don't you remember? I'm bisexual."  
  
"Yeah, I know, I am, also," Lausanne said, nodding.  
  
"Anyways.how've you been?"  
  
"I've been alright. Graduation was a big hit. Went with a really nice guy. I came here just last month. Have been auditioning for lots of musicals and plays. The one I just went to, they asked me to come back."  
  
"That's great!" Kyla said. "Yeah, after grad, right after, I came here, trying to see if you'd come because you said you were gonna come here and drag me along. So I came and waited and became this."  
  
Lausanne nodded. "Yeah.New York changes people, I heard."  
  
"Yeah, it really did." Kyla looked over and saw a guy with dyed blonde hair, sitting outside a coffee house. "Hey.is that John Partridge?"  
  
Lausanne looked over and her jaw dropped. "Oh my gawd! That is!" She grabbed Kyla, kind of nervous. "What do you think he's doing here?"  
  
"I dunno, why don't you ask him?"  
  
"Why me?"  
  
"Because he's your idol."  
  
"No!"  
  
Kyla grabbed Lausanne and dragged her over to John Partridge.  
  
"She what?" Russ yelled. "First Roger and now her?"  
  
The gangster nodded. "Yeah.she's leaving and she's going to that new city outside of New York City."  
  
"Well, then, we'll have to deal with it, won't we?" Russ demanded. "Remember, if you leave this gang.you're dead." He made a gun shape with his fingers and pretended to shoot the gangster. "Just. Like. That." 


	3. Christmas

Chapter One: Christmas  
  
It would have been the most usual winter day in the world of 2008, but it wasn't. It was December twenty-first; eight p.m. Nine people lived in a house in a new city out side of New York City, and they were beyond abnormal.  
  
Kyla Rose Lynch was 5'8", black haired, nineteen and had beautiful green eyes. She was slim, strongly built and mischievous. She was the lord of the whole house. Her past wasn't that great. She had run away when she was in grade ten, lived as a druggie for a year a year and a few months before.  
  
Lausanne Marie MacKay was 5'6", brown hair (but dyed blonde), eighteen, and had wondrous blue eyes. She wasn't very strong, but she knew what she wanted in life. She was obsessive and a joker. Her main obsession was John Partridge. She wanted to act and sing on the stage, right by his side.  
  
Roger Jonathan Davis and Jonathan Partridge looked exactly alike. They were 6'4", blonde (John's was dyed blonde), John was thirty-seven, Roger, twenty- eight and both had aquamarine eyes. They were well built and had the most handsome faces any ever saw. Both of them were gay, though not together. Roger's life was basically like Kyla's, but more harsh. He had been on drugs for over ten years before he stopped. John's life was totally opposite. He was born and raised in England and was very well off.  
  
Mark Leroy Cohen was 5'10"; a dark brunette, twenty-six and he had even more beautiful green eyes than Kyla did. He was a struggling cameraman, like Roger was a struggling guitarist. He was Roger's lover and he loved Roger deeply. They had been friends for several years before they realized they loved each other.  
  
Yuffie Uriko Kisaragi was 5'2, a dark brunette, seventeen, and she had emerald green eyes. She was spunky, tough, muscular, and she was the next in line for the empire of Japan.  
  
Zell Troy Dincht was 5'5"; blonde, eighteen and he had sky blue eyes. He was a black belt in karate and he was a usual street fighter. He would pick a fight with anyone, but his mother.  
  
Irvine Galahad Kinneas was 6'1"; a light brunette, nineteen and he had ocean blue eyes. He was raised in the southern part of the states and he was one of the best cowboys around. Not to mention, he's been known to rope a few girls at a time.  
  
Bender was 5'10; he was blonde, twenty-four and his eyes were a greenish- blue, but had more green than blue. He was currently going to Princeton and mastering in Atomic Physics.  
  
Currently, everyone was decorating for Christmas and their party. There was a knock at the door. Lausanne answered it and Cid Highwind, Shera Highwind, and Samantha (who liked to be called Sammy) came in.  
  
Cid was an intelligent man. He was 5'9", strong, had graying blonde hair, smart blue eyes and he was thirty-four. He was one of the smartest people in the world. He created a cure for cancer and he was creating a cure for AIDS.  
  
Shera was Cid's assistant and wife. She was 5'4"; her brown eyes were framed with glasses and her long brown hair was always up in a messy ponytail.  
  
Sammy was Cid and Shera's niece. She was 5'5"; a red head and she had dark blue eyes. She would be going to Princeton in the following year.  
  
"Merry Christmas!" Cid said.  
  
"What's so merry about it?" Kyla demanded. "It sucks. Look at the plastic decorations."  
  
Yuffie threw tinsel all over the place. Roger glared at her.  
  
"The tinsel goes on the tree, dip shit," Roger told her. "Not on the floor." He continued decorating the cookies for the big party.  
  
Mark walked over to Roger with his camera. "Ok, Roger, what're you doing?"  
  
Roger held up a cookie. "This is a Mark cookie. Isn't it beautiful?" He kissed Mark.  
  
"Yes, it's beautiful," Mark agreed.  
  
"Not as pretty as my real Marky," Roger said stubbornly.  
  
"No, prettier," Zell said, jokingly. "Roger, you know I'm joking!"  
  
Sammy giggled.  
  
"So, what brings you here?" Lausanne asked Cid.  
  
"Well, we came for a visit, what else?" Cid asked. He laughed. "Anyways, we said we'd help with the decorations for the whole fiasco."  
  
John smiled. "Great. We need more people for the Christmas tree."  
  
Sammy looked at him. "I'll help with that."  
  
"I hate Christmas." Kyla muttered.  
Lausanne looked around.  
  
"Well, everyone seems to be having a good time," she told Bender.  
  
"Yeah.or just we are, watching the drunks," Bender smiled. "I'm not much of a drinker as you know." He pushed his glasses up. "Where did Mark put his glasses?"  
  
"No idea," Lausanne told him.  
  
"He put them on the table," Sammy said.  
  
Alex looked at the cookie bowl. Kyla did also. They both looked at each other, eyes like fire.  
  
Alex looked exactly like Mark, except he had an ear piercing in his right ear and he didn't need glasses. He was in his early thirties and he was also German.  
  
"They're mine," Alex told Kyla.  
  
"In your dreams." Kyla hissed.  
  
They both reached for the bowl at the same time. They each tugged and tugged in their childish - drunken rage. Lausanne got a bag of Oreos and went over to them.  
  
"One of you can have Oreos and the other can have the Christmas cookies," Lausanne told them. "Now, who'll have what?"  
  
"Oreos?" Kyla said.  
  
She let go of the bowl and grabbed the bag. Alex grabbed the bowl and ran into a room.  
  
"HEY!" John cried. "That's my room!"  
  
Roger snickered and walked over to Mark. He whispered some naughty thoughts into Mark's ear. Mark smiled and looked up at him.  
  
"Is that a hint?" Mark asked. "I dunno, is it?" Roger asked.  
  
"Well, usually if you say naughty, sexual thoughts to me, you want sex," Mark said.  
  
"Well.if you're offering." Roger grinned.  
  
Roger led Mark to their room. He closed and locked the door. Mark smiled.  
  
"You're so strange at times," Mark said.  
  
Roger pulled Mark into a kiss. They slowly moved to the bed, kissing. Mark undid Roger's shirt and so it went.  
  
As the night wore on, John was trying to figure out how to get Alex out of his room. He was pondering by his door when the door opened. Alex walked out, a bit confused - looking.  
  
"How'd I get in there?" he wondered to himself. "Mann, muss ich zum Maximum vergeudet worden sein." He walked right into John. "Oh.sorry, John."  
  
"It's alright, you're out of my room!" John said, pushing Alex out of the way.  
  
Alex looked at John strangely. He walked past the bathroom, well, one of them, and did a double take. Kyla's head was in the toilet bowl and she was trying to keep her hair up. He walked into the bathroom and held her hair up.  
  
"Gee, girl, you shouldn't have drank so much," Alex said.  
  
Kyla grumbled. "But, it tastes so good."  
  
Alex patted her on the back. "C'mon, I'll take you to your room."  
  
He helped her up and took her down the hall to her room. He placed her on her bed. Suddenly, she grabbed him and forced him on the bed.  
  
"You're cushy," she said, snuggling into his chest.  
  
Alex looked at her, slightly confused. 'Dang.she's cute and all.but, Alex, control yourself, Peti's yours!' 


	4. New Years

Chapter Two: New Years  
  
"Why don't you just fuck off, Roger?" Kyla demanded. "You're such an immature bastard child!"  
  
"You should fuck off, Kyla!" Roger said. "What type of immature bitch calls me a bastard?"  
  
Kyla and Roger had gotten into another fight. This time it was the worse fight of them all. Kyla stuck up her nose.  
  
"That's it!" she said. "I'm moving out! No one really cares, either." She looked at Roger with her fiery green eyes.  
  
"Good!" Roger said. "We don't need you, anyways!"  
  
"GOOD!" Kyla yelled. "I don't care about you, either!"  
  
With that, she stormed out of the house. Everyone was taken by surprise. Roger went to his room and slammed the door. Everyone looked at each other.  
  
"You don't think she means it?" Lausanne asked. "She can't leave!"  
  
"We won't know until later, I guess." John said.  
  
"The girl's lost it," Irvine said. "And the man's in a mood. They should calm down once in a while."  
  
"Irvine, that's not the way things go around here, y'know?" Zell said.  
  
Yuffie looked at her mail. "Well, good news for us three teens." She held up a letter. "Daddy's taking us back, he says we've learned our lesson now." She sighed. "We're out of this hell hole."  
  
"Watch your mouth!" Lausanne said. "C'mon.we'd better try and figure out a solution, I guess."  
  
There was no solution. The next day, Kyla had moved out.  
  
Everything seemed to go much slower. There was less.much less fighting and it was much quieter. No one knew what to do, really. There wasn't much of a solution for the quietness, for the boredom, for the intense needing of Kyla's presence. The only one that didn't want her back was Roger.  
  
"It's good that she moved," he told John. "She's so selfish and she won't admit that she's never right. She can't do nothing without someone else. Don't you realize what a great advantage this is, John?"  
  
Even though everything was so quiet and slow, there was still going to be a New Years party. So, for the few days before New Years Eve, Lausanne and the rest were busy planning the party. It would be just like the Christmas Party, though no cookies.  
  
On New Years' Eve's eve, there was a knock at the door. Yuffie answered it and hopped back to the main room.  
  
"Lausanne, someone's here to see you," she told her, returning to her game of Chinese checkers.  
  
"Thought you were Japanese?" Lausanne asked.  
  
"Yeah, but this is fun."  
  
Lausanne shook her head in amusement as she went to the door. There was Kyla, looking slightly shaken up.  
  
"Oh my gawd, Kyla, what's the matter?" Lausanne asked.  
  
"Laus.can we go to a room and talk?" Kyla asked.  
  
Lausanne nodded and took Kyla to her room. Kyla started crying as soon as Lausanne closed the door.  
  
"Kyla.what's the matter?" Lausanne asked. "Tell me."  
  
Kyla sobbed. "My.my boss.he.he."  
  
"He what?" Lausanne asked.  
  
"He raped me." Kyla said. ".He raped me and he hurt me."  
  
Lausanne cradled Kyla, slightly shocked.  
  
"And.and he knows I'm not that much into guys," Kyla continued.  
  
"What a sick mother fucker." Lausanne whispered.  
  
"And there's nothing I can do about it!" Kyla finished.  
  
"Yes.yes, there is!" Lausanne said. "Look.if you can get some sort of evidence that he raped you, you can sue him and get him locked up."  
  
"But, Lausanne, he stole my virginity!" Kyla said. "You know how much that meant to me!"  
  
"I know.I know." Lausanne said.  
  
"I can't get it back!"  
  
"But you can help other girls by getting him locked up!" Lausanne said.  
  
Kyla nodded. "Yeah.yeah, you're right." She wiped her eyes. "Thanks."  
  
Lausanne nodded.  
  
"Hey.ya think.maybe.can I move back?" Kyla asked.  
  
"Of course," Lausanne said. "This is your house. You bought it after all." She smiled.  
  
"Alright." She smiled. "I'll be seeing you?"  
  
Lausanne nodded. Kyla hugged her and kissed her.  
  
"Sorry.just showing my gratitude," Kyla said. 


	5. Roger and Yuffie's Little Mission

Chapter Three: Roger and Yuffie's Little Mission  
  
A few days after New Years, Roger and Yuffie received a letter. Yuffie was first to grab it.  
  
"Roger and Yuffie,  
  
Look, something happened, and I need you two to get a tape for me. I picked you two because Yuffie is agile and quick and Roger's great at standing in one place and not doing a thing.  
  
There's this building, Smith's Computer Co., I need you guys to get a tape from there. I'm not sure where it is. Should be on the fifteenth floor, that's where security is, or it could be hidden at the top.  
  
You two have to be out in about two hours. Please, do this one thing for me.  
  
Kyla."  
  
Roger looked at the letter.  
  
"I'm not doing it," he said.  
  
"Roger!" Lausanne said.  
  
"I'm not risking my neck for that bitch," Roger said.  
  
Yuffie looked at the back of the letter. Her mouth spread into a smile.  
  
"What're you smiling about?" Zell asked.  
  
"Well, what always makes me smile?" Yuffie asked. "Money." She showed the back of the letter. "Roger.we're getting two hundred and fifty bucks each if we do this."  
  
Roger looked interested now. "Alright, then. We'll go tonight!"  
  
Everyone looked at him, kind of stunned.  
  
"What?" Roger asked. "I just wanna help poor Kyla."  
  
".He's as bad as Yuffie," Irvine commented.  
  
That night, Roger and Yuffie were dressed in black. They were preparing for the mission that was coming up quickly.  
  
"Walkie-talkies?" Yuffie asked.  
  
"Yeah," Roger said.  
  
"Rope?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Cool sunglasses and sneakers?"  
  
"YEAH!" Roger yelled. "Can we go yet?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah," Yuffie said. She picked up her bag and headed out.  
  
"Bye Marky!" Roger said, smiling. "Do I get a good-luck kiss?" He smiled.  
  
Mark sighed, smiled and kissed Roger.  
  
"You be good, you two," Mark said. "Or else we'll kick your asses."  
  
Roger and Yuffie looked at everyone innocently. The others laughed and told them to get hurrying.  
  
"Wow!" Yuffie said. "I can't believe I'm working with you." She smiled at Roger.  
  
"Yeah.remarkable," Roger said sarcastically. 'Roger.at least she's doing the dangerous stuff,' he thought to himself.  
  
When they got to the building, Yuffie looked at it and counted the floors. Roger looked bored already.  
  
"Ya hafta keep in contact with me," Yuffie said. "We've got to be talking all the time or else we won't be able to do this mission properly." She took a step onto the bricks. "Ok, I'm going now."  
  
"Yeah, yeah," Roger said, trying to look like he was waiting for someone.  
  
Yuffie climbed the building and went up to the fifteenth floor. She got out a blade and cut up the window so she could fit her small body into it. She got a cut, but what was a cut? She got out her flashlight and looked around.  
  
"Alright, Roger, I'm up here," she said into her walkie-talkie.  
  
"Ok, good," Roger replied. "Find the security room yet?"  
  
"Yeah, it's right in front of me. I'll check it out. Is everything clear down there?"  
  
"Yup. Nothing but a man walking his dog."  
  
Yuffie crept to the security room. She picked the lock with one of her hairpins and walked in. She started searching through the videotapes. Roger clicked in.  
  
"Hey, you've been up there for forty five minutes."  
  
"Well, it took me a while to get up here," Yuffie hissed. "Damn it. The tape's not here."  
  
"Where else could it be?"  
  
"She said the top, right? Well.I'm goin' up, then."  
  
She looked for the stairs and headed up to the top floors. She could feel tension growing inside of her. Her two hours could be up very soon, for all she knew. She reached the top floor and broke into the main office. She started to search frantically.  
  
"Yuffie.hurry up, I see lights in the distance," Roger said.  
  
"Don't walk towards them, then!" Yuffie said, heavy heartedly joking.  
  
"Oh, very ha, ha," Roger said sarcastically. "Did you find it yet?"  
  
Yuffie opened a cupboard and several drawers. "Nope.nothing to do with last Wednesday in this office." She looked at the carpet. "Maybe."  
  
She went over to the carpet and lifted it up. There was a hole carved into the ground. There was a videotape wedged into it. She lifted up a panel of wood and grabbed the tape.  
  
"Yuffie, c'mon, get your ass out of there, the police are coming!" Roger said.  
  
"I thought we had two hours?!" Yuffie demanded.  
  
"They must've gotten a new alarm system!"  
  
Yuffie looked around. No way out.. She looked at the window, smashed it and jumped out. She landed in the front bushes. Roger looked over, picked her up and run into an alleyway. They waited until the police cars had done their double take before they even dared to breathe.  
  
Yuffie sighed. "Whoa.somethin' to tell the grandkiddies, eh?"  
  
"Only for you," Roger said. "I can't have children."  
  
"It's called adoption," Yuffie snarled. "C'mon, let's go."  
  
That night, Roger was wide-awake, thinking.  
  
"Hey.Mark?" Roger asked.  
  
Mark groaned to show he was trying to sleep.  
  
"Mark, c'mon, I've gotta talk with you," Roger said.  
  
"Alright.what?" Mark asked.  
  
"Well.what would your thoughts be on for adopting a child?"  
  
"It's crossed my mind.but, I would love to adopt a child, yeah, of course. We all would enjoy the presence of a child." Mark looked at Roger. "Why?"  
  
"Yuffie got me thinking."  
  
"Oh, her."  
  
"Yeah.and, since Kyla's moving back, it would give us a reason to act mature and not get into so many fights."  
  
"Oh, so you're thinking beyond the limits."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Well.I say, why not? What the hell?"  
  
Roger nodded. "Yeah.what the hell, eh?"  
  
Over the next week, Kyla had moved back in and she had sent her boss to jail for sexual assault. When Roger brought the subject of adopting a child, everyone was up for it. All but Yuffie, Irvine and Zell, but they moved out that week, anyways. So, Mark and Roger were going to adopt a child. 


	6. Charlene Davis, Anthony Rapp, and Manley...

Chapter Four: Charlene Davis, Anthony Rapp and Manley Pope  
  
Mark watched as Kyla and Roger were fighting on the ground, yet again. He sighed.  
  
"We just got rid of Yuffie, Zell and Irvine and you two are taking over?" he asked.  
  
Kyla bit Roger hard. Roger smacked her in the nose.  
  
"Thought you were gonna adopt a child?" Lausanne asked Mark.  
  
"Roger wanted to do.this one last thing," Mark said. He watched as Roger flung Kyla across the room.  
  
"Kill her?"  
  
"Try to, at least."  
  
Roger stood up, foot on a scratching Kyla's stomach.  
  
"I am victorious!" Roger announced in his 'godly voice'. "Ok, Mark, let's go."  
  
Mark looked at Roger. "Not with that cut, you're not."  
  
Roger felt the scratch. "Fine, fine. I'll wash it then we'll go, ok?"  
  
Mark watched as Roger went to the bathroom. Lausanne looked at Kyla.  
  
"You dead yet?" Lausanne asked.  
  
"No.sleeping," Kyla said, eyes closed.  
  
Roger came back, washed and with no blood on his face. For his enjoyment, he stepped on Kyla's stomach.  
  
"Alright, Mark, let's go," he said, grabbing his jacket.  
  
Mark grabbed his jacket and headed out the door, along with Roger. They headed into the town, on foot, since none of them had any vehicles.  
  
"So." Roger said. "Male or female?"  
  
"I've always wanted a little girl, ever since I was little, honestly," Mark said.  
  
"Ok.hey, can we get a little girl that reminds me of Mary-Anne? She's my twin sister and I really miss her loads."  
  
Mark nodded. "Alright.twin sister, blonde?"  
  
"Yeah.blonde and blue eyed, like me," Roger smiled. "Why? Too much?"  
  
"No, no, not at all." Mark looked up. "Should it be too much?"  
  
"I'd hope not," Roger told him.  
  
As they got to the Adoption Agency, Roger and Mark talked about how they would try and make their adopted child's life as happy and enjoyable as possible. They wanted to do everything right, even make everyone else stop swearing their heads off.  
  
When they entered the building, a woman who looked perfect to be a kindergarten teacher greeted them.  
  
"Hello, there, I'm Lisa, how may I help you?" she said.  
  
"We're here to adopt a young child, preferably a girl," Roger said, being all responsible and business like.  
  
"Well, then, sir and sir, follow me, please," Lisa said.  
  
Roger and Mark went down the hall of the Orphanage to a room where little boys and girls were playing. Most of them were no older than four or five. They were all enjoying themselves and playing little children games. Roger's eyes wandered to several little girls who were in a corner, playing with teddy bears.  
  
"Well, are these around the ages you were hoping for or different age group?" Lisa asked.  
  
"This age group will do," Roger said, nodding. "I'm certain one of these young children will meet our expectations." He smiled.  
  
Lisa nodded. "Alright, then. I'll be back with forms then, ok?"  
  
Roger nodded. Lisa left to go to her office. Roger grabbed Mark's wrist and walked towards the three little girls that were playing with their teddy bears. Roger pulled Mark back as Mark took an extra step. Roger made Mark look at a little girl with blonde hair and she was holding a white teddy bear.  
  
"She looks perfect," Roger said. "Doesn't she?"  
  
"Probably.if you weren't squishing my cheeks together," Mark said.  
  
Roger let Mark's face go and walked over to the little girls. They all looked at him, unsure of what to do or think.  
  
"Hello there," Roger said. "And, what are your names?" He smiled.  
  
John was tackling Kyla to the ground when Roger and Mark came back with the little girl Roger had pointed out. The little girl's name was Charlene and Davis was her last name. Roger had dubbed himself 'daddy' and Mark 'mommy'. Roger smiled broadly as he stepped between Kyla and John.  
  
"Well, people, we did it," Roger said. "We've adopted a young girl."  
  
Kyla looked behind Roger, shoving him out of the way slightly.  
  
"Oh my gawd, she's so cute!" she said. "And, what's your name, sweetheart?"  
  
"Charlene." said the four-year-old.  
  
"I used to call my brother that." Kyla said thoughtfully.  
  
"She's so adorable!" Lausanne said.  
  
Suddenly, there was a loud 'BING' from Kyla's room.  
  
"Oh my gawd!" Kyla said. "Be back in a moment!" She dashed to her room.  
  
"And.what was that all about?" Mark asked.  
  
"Oh, she's just been trying to get the last few Anthony Rapp and Manley Pope tickets in the city," John said. "She's obsessed, that woman." There was a shriek of happiness. "Think she got 'em." He sighed and smiled.  
  
Kyla ran out.  
  
"I've got 'em! I really do this time!" she yelled.  
  
"Heard ya the first time!" Roger said.  
  
"Well, I've got four tickets," Kyla said. "Cid has three, one of the people who were supposed to be going are sick, so he gave me one, and the guy's backstage pass. So, one of each is for me, so I still have four up for grabs."  
  
Lausanne looked over. "OH! One for me! PLEASE!"  
  
Kyla smiled. "When don't I give you what you want?"  
  
"When I asked for that pony for my birthday in grade nine," Lausanne replied as Kyla handed her the ticket and backstage pass.  
  
"Well, I couldn't afford it.now could I?" Kyla asked.  
  
"Hey, Lynch," Roger said as he crouched down slightly to whisper into her ear. "Give me three.one for me, one of Mark and one for Charlene, alright?"  
  
"Why should I?" she whispered back.  
  
"Because.I'll clobber you if you don't," he warned. "And.don't swear, we've gotta be a good household for Charlene."  
  
"Yeah.yeah," Kyla said. "I'll do it." She counted her fingers. "Ok.that's all the tickets, then."  
  
"You had to count your fingers for that?" Bender asked. "Well.guess some of us ain't as smart as others, eh?"  
  
"Well, some of us are going to a concert with the hottest guys ever!" Kyla said.  
  
"Yeah.too bad I'm not gay, and then I may be jealous," Bender said.  
  
The next evening, Roger, Mark, Charlene, Lausanne and Kyla were all getting ready for the whole huge bash. Kyla, being the most excited, since it's Anthony Rapp, had been getting ready for about four hours now.  
  
Lausanne stared when Kyla walked out of her room. She was wearing tights, a black leather mini skirt, and a black halter-top with a black jean jacket.  
  
"What in the world are you wearing?" Lausanne demanded. "You look like a penny hooker!"  
  
Kyla looked at herself and compared her clothes to Lausanne's black jeans, t-shirt and leather jacket.  
  
"Well.compared to you, yes," Kyla told her. "Compared to other girls.more than likely."  
  
Lausanne sighed. "You're changing."  
  
"We don't have enough time," Roger said, staring at Kyla also. "And.sorry to say, but.you won't appeal to any man in that outfit."  
  
Kyla glared at Roger as the five of them walked outside. Cid and Shera were waiting in their van. All of them hopped in.  
  
Shera turned around and smiled. "So nice to see you guys again."  
  
"Pleasure," Roger said.  
  
Shera looked at Charlene. "And.I don't think I've met the latest edition?"  
  
"Oh, Cid, Shera, this is Charlene," Mark said. "Roger and I adopted her."  
  
"Well, isn't she just the sweetest little thing I've ever seen!" Shera exclaimed.  
  
"Ah, Shera, you've seen lots of sweet things," Cid said.  
  
"Yeah, like me," Kyla sarcastically said.  
  
"You're sweet.in a sour way," Cid told her.  
  
Roger scoffed. "That thing? Sweet?" He started laughing.  
  
After the concert, people were waiting in line to see Manley Pope and Anthony Rapp in person. Kyla was getting angered. They were the last ones in line.  
  
"Quit jumping," Roger said. "Your skirt may flip up or something."  
  
"I'm highly surprised no one has come over and asked how much you cost," Lausanne said.  
  
"Well, excuse me for not doing my laundry, I've been busy lately," Kyla spat. "Oh, lookee! Our turn!" She tripped as she walked in. "I, erm, meant to do that?"  
  
Mark sighed and they all walked over her for a bit of fun, and to make her mad. Lausanne squealed with delight as she looked at Manley and Anthony.  
  
"They look so much cooler up close!" she whispered to herself.  
  
Kyla looked up and her jaw fell as she looked at Anthony Rapp.  
  
"He's so hot!" she squealed in a whisper.  
  
Anthony Rapp and Manley Pope smiled as they looked over to the seven people.  
  
"Hello, there," Anthony said. "How are you all?"  
  
Kyla and Lausanne both giggled in a hyper - like way. Mark smiled and shook his head.  
  
"We're all doing fine, thank you," Cid said. "Anthony, it's been a while."  
  
Anthony smiled. "Cid Highwind! How are you, my friend? How's the AIDS vaccine coming along?"  
  
"I'm fine, thanks, and the AIDS vaccine is doing better than a year ago." Cid smiled. "I don't think you've met my wife, Shera?"  
  
Anthony smiled. "Pleasure to meet you, Shera."  
  
Shera smiled. "Same here."  
  
Kyla looked at Cid. "You know Anthony Rapp and you never told me? What type of friend are you? No more strip poker at my house for you!"  
  
Cid smiled. "Good.hate the game anyway."  
  
She glared at Cid.  
  
"Anthony," Cid said, "this is my dear friend, Kyla. She's been a fan of yours for many years now."  
  
"Six years now," Kyla corrected Cid. She looked at Anthony. "I love your work!"  
  
Anthony smiled. "Thank you." "And I'm only totally obsessed with Manley!" Lausanne said, noticing Manley was getting no attention at all. She pushed Kyla out of her way. "Lausanne MacKay. It's so great to finally meet you, Mr. Pope!"  
  
"Call me Manley.Mr. Pope makes me feel old," Manley said.  
  
"Well, you are," Kyla said.  
  
Lausanne elbowed her in the face. Roger snickered. Manley and Anthony both gasped with surprise when they laid eyes on Mark and Roger.  
  
"It's.it's." Manley started.  
  
"The real Roger Davis and Mark Cohen!" Anthony finished.  
  
Roger smiled. "Yup. How couldn't I be? I'm the original, and the best, or so everyone thinks." Kyla coughed and he smacked the back of her head.  
  
"Question." Manley said. "Are you and Mark really gay together, or is that just a rumor?"  
  
"Oh, it's true," Mark said. "Just yesterday, he and I adopted Charlene." Roger picked her up. He looked over. "And, by the looks of it.I say it's about time to go."  
  
"But we just got here!" Kyla whined.  
  
Ignoring her, Roger smiled. "Hope you guys have a wonderful stay."  
  
"Oh, yes, just wonderful," Manley said, rolling his eyes. "We got a sleazy hotel that is over charging us for our stay."  
  
"HEY!" Kyla said. "You can stay at our house, we've got lots of rooms, don't we?"  
  
"Yeah!" Lausanne said. "And if none of them meet your expectations, I can give up my room." She was getting to be over hyper.  
  
Anthony and Manley whispered to each other for a few minutes. Anthony turned back to the gang.  
  
"Well, we already paid for tonight.but, since this is our last stop, would it be all right if we stayed for.a few months?" he asked.  
  
Kyla and Lausanne looked overjoyed.  
  
"That'd be no problem," Lausanne said. She smiled sweetly. "It'll be our pleasure to have you stay at our house for a few months."  
  
Anthony and Manley smiled and nodded.  
  
"Well, then, your youngest member is looking quite tired," Manley noted.  
  
Roger picked up Charlene as she yawned and rubbed her eye.  
  
"Yeah.guess we'd better get going, eh, you guys?" Roger said.  
  
Mark nodded. "Yeah.guess we'll see you two tomorrow?" He looked at Anthony and Manley.  
  
The two of them nodded. They all said their good-byes and left. 


	7. Depression

Chapter Five: Depression  
  
It had been a week since Anthony and Manley had moved in. Everything was basically going great, except John kind of made Kyla a bit depressed and she didn't come out of her room for a few days, but that was pretty much usual. But, on this particular day, she would do something that would shock everyone, and bring her and Roger a bit more closer.  
  
It was the usual day, everything was going great, but then John's tongue accidentally slipped and he told Kyla something he didn't mean. She was downright angered when she left for work.  
  
Lausanne was currently up, also. Manley had talked to her only half an hour before he went for a walk. He had told her that he would love it if the two of them went out on a date that night. Lausanne was definitely happy about this, she immediately said 'yes'.  
  
As the day wore on, Lausanne was busy trying to look her best. She told only John. She knew the way he sometimes talked, that he would probably let it out. That's what she wanted, everyone to know that she, Lausanne MacKay, was going out with the Manley Pope.  
  
That evening, she and Manley left before Kyla came back, so she had no idea whatsoever that Manley and Lausanne were even starting a relationship.  
  
Kyla walked in and went straight for the phone. She dialed up a number and she seemed to be making an order. John sighed.  
  
"This is why I should just be the one that makes the meals," he said. "We're eating take out every other day."  
  
Anthony smiled. "It's alright. All of us seem to enjoy it."  
  
"I don't," Kyla said, hanging up the phone. "I'm allergic to half this crap." She hung up her jacket.  
  
"Ok, what's up your ass?" Roger asked.  
  
"Oh, the usual," Kyla said. "I got fired again."  
  
"Why?" Mark asked.  
  
"Wouldn't wear this." She pulled out a piece of cloth. "No, it's not a piece of cloth, it's a shirt.no straps, shows most of my boobs.ain't it just wonderful?"  
  
"Yeah.if you're straight," John said. "So.what'd you order this time?"  
  
"Chinese, what else?" Kyla asked. "Roger orders pizza, Mark orders fast food and I order Chinese." She kicked off her shoes. "I'll be in my room." And so she went to her room.  
  
No one really heard from her for a while. They were too busy asking Roger to play songs on his guitar for amusement, and to pass the time while they were waiting for the delivery.  
  
When the delivery boy made his delivery, Roger went to Kyla's room and knocked on her door.  
  
"Hey, Kyla, we kinda need the cash, y'know?" Roger said as he knocked on the door. He waited for a moment. "Kyla.?"  
  
He walked in. He switched on the light on saw Kyla huddling in the corner. She didn't seem to notice he was there.  
  
"Hey, Kyla." He walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, girl, we.oh my gawd, what the fuck did you do to yourself?"  
  
Kyla looked up. Her face was bloody and she was holding a sharp knife in her one hand. Roger took the knife out of Kyla's hand and held her face in his hands.  
  
"Life sucks." Kyla whispered. "Money's on my computer desk."  
  
Roger nodded. "OK, you stay here, I'll pay the delivery boy and.and.I'll come back and we can talk this over, ok?"  
  
Kyla nodded as she watched Roger wipe the blood onto a rag that she had in her room, grab the money and walk back out.  
  
"So, where's the bitch?" John asked.  
  
"John, shu'up and be nice to her sometimes," Roger said.  
  
He handed the delivery boy the money and went back to Kyla. She hadn't moved from her corner in her room. The bleeding seemed to have stopped a bit. He sat by her and she looked at him.  
  
"Why'd you do this?" Roger asked.  
  
"Had the tools.have the depression and I just wanna die, Roger," she said.  
  
He held her close to him, brother - like.  
  
"Ok, I'll tell you what we're gonna do, all right?" he said. "First off, we're gonna get your face cleaned up.and then.we'll bandage it and we'll call a counselor."  
  
"Cid's my counselor.well, the one I trust," Kyla said.  
  
"Yeah.we'll get him over here and.and.we've got to get all of your sharp objects out of here." Roger told her, smoothing her hair down. "Hell, you're tough, know that? Most people would be crying if they cut their own face."  
  
"I was.but then I said to myself: 'I did this to myself, so I shouldn't cry', and I stopped."  
  
"Yeah, well, come on."  
  
He got up and went to Kyla's bathroom, got peroxide, bandages and a wet cloth from the cupboards. He came back and gave the cloth to her. He watched as she wiped the blood away. As Roger applied the peroxide and bandages, Kyla told Roger something that was quite touching.  
  
"I thought you wouldn't care.I thought you didn't care about me.but you do, don't you?"  
  
Roger nodded. "Yeah.I care. How couldn't I? I live with you. C'mon, we're gonna call Cid, all right? Hopefully he has a solution, eh?"  
  
"Solution?" Cid asked. "I don't have any solution for depression, you guys."  
  
Everyone looked at him.  
  
"You've gotta be kidding me," John said.  
  
"I've talked to her over and over," Cid told them. "There isn't any solution for depression. I've tried over and over, y'know?"  
  
Lausanne sighed. "What a night."  
  
"Yeah.well, she's not gonna live to see her twentieth," Cid said. "This is her last few months alive, more than likely." He sighed. "And there's nothing I can really do except to try and make sure she's happy."  
  
"And.how do we do that?" Manley asked.  
  
"Well, I have a science meeting for the next couple o' weeks and I have reservations in Hawaii that I can't get to now." Cid smiled. "You lot can go for me. You all can choose your roommates. But, for Kyla." He smiled even more. "Anthony, you'll be sharing a room with her."  
  
"Ok, fine with me," Anthony replied.  
  
"When do we leave?" Lausanne said, hyped up.  
  
"Three days!" Cid said. "And enjoy your guys' stay! Oh, yeah, give this to Kyla. It'll cover up her cuts and help cover up the scars, also 


	8. Hawaii

Chapter Six: Hawaii  
  
"Woo hoo!" John said. "It's great to feel the sun again!"  
  
"Yeah, an adventure from all that snow, eh?" Lausanne asked.  
  
As the whole group walked up to the hotel, they chatted about what they were going to do for the next two weeks. Surfing, tanning, checking out the babes, eating different foods, not cooking, checking out the guys, being a little bisexual pervert and so the list went on.  
  
"Kyla, you shouldn't waste your time trying to peek under the skirts of ladies here," Anthony said.  
  
"And, why not?" Kyla demanded.  
  
"It's sick and perverted."  
  
Kyla pouted.  
  
"Hey, look how huge that hotel is!" Mark said, gaping at it.  
  
"Seen bigger," Manley said.  
  
"Well, of course, you're famous," Roger told him.  
  
"I would love to be famous and see huge hotels," Lausanne said.  
  
"Not really amazing after the hundredth time," John said.  
  
"Still.would be great, wouldn't it?" Lausanne asked  
  
Kyla nodded. "Name in lights, everyone knows you, you get the most expensive room in the hotel."  
  
"Like a dream come true," Lausanne finished.  
  
"Come on, you two saps, let's get inside," Manley told them.  
  
The next morning, everyone was around a table (a big one at that), and they were all chatting. Actually, it wasn't really the morning.it was more of noon. OK, that's better. John looked across the room out of boredom, and saw a familiar pair of evergreen eyes.  
  
"Hey!" John called out. "Alex! Over here!"  
  
Alex Melcher looked up from his table. His eyes looked at everyone and he smiled. He got up and walked over to them.  
  
"Hello there," he said, smiling.  
  
"Hey, Alex," John said. "How're you?  
  
"I'm fine, thank you. And, you all?"  
  
"All of us are fine.except those sleeping at the lunch table," Manley said, looking over towards Kyla.  
  
John smacked Kyla on the back of the head, she responded with a hit to John's gut. John glared down.  
  
"Sit down, Alex," Lausanne said. "There's enough room. If not, we can always kick her off." She smiled sweetly.  
  
Alex dragged a chair over and sat down.  
  
"So, what are all of you doing here?" Alex asked.  
  
"A vacation thanks to Cid," Anthony said. "He let us come because we were sick of snow and some other reasons, which we won't get into."  
  
"Cid is so the best, this is all on his tab," Roger said, smiling.  
  
"Suck up," John muttered.  
  
"Say that to my face," Roger demanded.  
  
"Not when I'm sleeping!" Kyla whined.  
  
Kyla looked up, the volleyball in her hands. She darted off into the water.  
  
"Aw, c'mon!" Mark said. "Give us back the volleyball!"  
  
Kyla smirked. "No. It's mine, I caught it, and I ran with it, so ha!"  
  
Roger cracked his knuckles. "Leave this to me."  
  
He dashed right into the salty water and ran after the scampering Lynch. He grabbed her one ankle and she plummeted into the water, face first. She tried to kick him while laughing, drowning and trying to breathe at the same time. He grabbed her by the shoulders and stood her up.  
  
"Now.will you give me the ball?" Roger asked.  
  
Kyla giggled. "No! Why would I?"  
  
Roger picked her up and flung her several feet deeper. She splashed to the top.  
  
"Alright, that was just mean," Kyla told him. She threw the ball to the side. "Want a fight? I'll give ya a fight."  
  
Roger looked at her and shook his head. He walked forward and banged her once on the head. She looked up, offended - like. She punched him in the gut; he flung her further out. He was about to give her a bloody nose, when his eyes caught the babes of Hawaii. He suddenly started walking out of the water.  
  
"Hey!" Kyla said. "Why're you leaving, eh? C'mon!" She looked over to the girls and stared. "Those are some nice-"  
  
"Kyla, don't start," Roger said, trans - like.  
  
Kyla looked at Roger. "Thought you were gay?"  
  
"Maybe."  
  
Kyla glared. "Oh, just fight me already!"  
  
"Later."  
  
Kyla slapped the water and headed in, also. She sat down on one of the blankets close to the water, where Alex was tanning himself.  
  
"What a fight," he said.  
  
"Nah, it wasn't," Kyla said. She glanced over to Roger. "He's such a dummy. Mark's right over there, playing with Charlene, and he's letting girls feel up his chest muscles."  
  
Alex sat up. "Yeah, well.who knows, really?" He smiled at her direction.  
  
"So.how's Peti?" she asked.  
  
"Dunno, don't care," Alex said. "She cheated on me for my co-song writer or whatever."  
  
"Oh.sorry," Kyla said, a bit happy - like. "But, it's her fault, no?"  
  
"Yeah.I guess."  
  
"Don't worry, there's someone for everyone out there, don't you worry!"  
  
"Yeah.there is." He glanced over to her and stared back at the water.  
  
She suddenly hugged him. "Ah, don't worry! C'mon, cheer up, we're in Hawaii!"  
  
He hugged her back. "Oh, you're right. Yeah.I'll cheer up." He yawned.  
  
She looked up at him. "Are you getting enough sleep, Alex?"  
  
"Erm.no."  
  
She looked at him with a stern face. "How come?"  
  
"Because, you don't get very much sleep with rehearsals and try outs and everything for musicals and such," he said.  
  
"Well, then, you know the right person," she nodded.  
  
"I do?"  
  
"Yeah!" She smiled. "My little magical remedy will help you sleep for hours on end."  
  
"What?"  
  
"It's a massage with rose petal fragrances and candles. It works, trust me."  
  
"Erm.alright."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Ok.so."  
  
"I'll be at your room at nine, don't worry."  
  
"Hey, Lynchie!"  
  
Kyla looked over to a girl with purple hair and a red headed man. She stood up and waved.  
  
"Tasuki! Nuriko!" Kyla yelled out.  
  
The two people walked over to Kyla and started chatting with her. Alex was just watching as Roger and the girls were smiling and laughing. He was actually quite confused about this.  
  
"Well, that's great, Tasuki!" Kyla said to the red head. "But.I've gotta do something, so, how about I'll meet you there Thursday night, alright?"  
  
Tasuki nodded. "Yeah.sure thing. See ya."  
  
Tasuki and Nuriko left. Kyla turned towards Roger.  
  
"ROGER!!" she yelled. "C'mon, finish our fight, you're not a true fighter until you finish each fight you started!"  
  
Roger looked over. "Like I care?"  
  
Kyla glared even more. "Ok, then, I guess I'll have to tell those girls what you really are, eh?"  
  
"What am I, really, then?" he demanded.  
  
She coughed. "A self absorbent gay music guy, who has a boyfriend, who's right over there, and that's also adopted a child because he wanted to care some more. But, highly, I think that you're nothing more than a straight guy pretending to love a gay guy." She smirked.  
  
That was Roger's cue. He bolted over to her, flung her into the sand, and put all the pressure he could on his right foot. She gasped for air as he pressed even harder.  
  
"Roger, don't!" John yelled.  
  
Roger didn't listen. He grabbed the Lynch and flung her into the water. He ran to her and dunked her head under. He didn't let go.  
  
Manley and John ran into the water and tried to get Roger off of her. John had to punched Roger severely in the stomach. Roger backed off, glared, and started to leave. Manley pulled Kyla up; she coughed.  
  
"Don't do that again, Kyla," John said.  
  
"And, why not?" she demanded.  
  
"You know why not!" Manley said. "Now, we've got an asshole that's acting like an asshole!"  
  
There was a knock on Alex's door. Alex got up from his bed, where he was reading an old book in German. He answered the door. There was Kyla. He smiled.  
  
"I'm here.on time, I hope," she said, looking at her watch.  
  
"Oh, it's alright," he said with a smile. "Just a bit late. Come in, come in." He cleared the door for her.  
  
She walked in and closed the door. "So, shall we get going, then?"  
  
He nodded.  
  
"Alright, then. I'll need you to take your shirt off, or else it won't work." 'And, also, I can see your nice chest again,' she thought. 'No! Don't be perverted! Bad Kyla!'  
  
Alex took his shirt off and lied down on his bed, on his stomach. Kyla lit the candles, opened the jar of rose petals and put soft oil on Alex's back. She sat on his back and massaged it with her thumb muscles.  
  
"So, tell me what you've been doing since the Christmas party," she said.  
  
"I've been.well, I've been accepted in a musical," he said. "It's nothing much, but, it's what I do. And.I'm here because I've needed some rest and relaxation. Can't walk down a street in Germany without someone saying, 'Schauen Sie, es ist Alex Melcher!' .Sorry, 'Look, it's Alex Melcher!'" He sighed as her hands moved down. "You're lucky you aren't famous. This life.well, I've wanted this all of my life. Being famous and having people know my name. But.it's not what it's cracked up to be. What are you, anyways?"  
  
"I'm.a secretary, but I try to go to auditions," she told him. "Lausanne and John are in New York City's next production of 'Rent'. She's Mimi and he's Roger."  
  
"Yeah.Lausanne will be happy," he said. "She gets to kiss John. She's obsessed a bit too much at times."  
  
"Yeah.but so can I," she admitted.  
  
"Well.yeah, guess we were all obsessed with something." He yawned and closed his eyes.  
  
Kyla continued to massage his back until he was fully asleep.  
  
"What's up for today?" Lausanne asked, basically looking at Kyla.  
  
"Well, today, I thought I would apologize to Roger, after the video arcade," Kyla said. "And quit looking at me!"  
  
"I will when you apologize to Roger!"  
  
"After the arcade! I'm going with Alex and he's gonna play Fussball, right?"  
  
Alex nodded, trying not to get into the semi argument.  
  
"Ok, but you'd better," Lausanne warned. "Or else, I may turn nasty, right before my nineteenth."  
  
Kyla shuddered. "Ok, ok! I promise I will!" She took a sip of her tea. "And, Kyla keeps her promises."  
  
"Yeah, how many times has that been broken?" Manley asked.  
  
"Only about twice," John said.  
  
Mark nodded. "Yeah.and Roger's not even talking to me, so Kyla had better keep her promise, shouldn't she?"  
  
Kyla looked over. "Kyla will keep her promise because Kyla's that type of person." She stood up. "Ready to go to the arcade, Alex?" She smiled.  
  
Alex stood up. "Yes. Ready to kick American ass in Fussball."  
  
"Yay, kicking American ass!" Kyla said. "I'm American and Canadian!"  
  
"Oh.sorry," Alex said.  
  
Kyla and Alex headed to the arcade.  
  
"Oh my gawd, did you see that guy's face when you beat them?" Kyla asked.  
  
"Yeah, it was funny," Alex said.  
  
Kyla counted her fingers. "So.all together, basically, I owe you."  
  
"Ten kisses," Alex said. He smiled.  
  
"So.when?"  
  
"I'll ask.you'd better go and keep your promise."  
  
"What promise?"  
  
"About talking to Roger.?"  
  
"I what?"  
  
"You promised you would apologize to Roger for being a bitch to him. Remember?"  
  
"No.but, I'll do it anyways."  
  
Kyla headed up the stairs to Roger's room, Alex behind her to make sure that she did go to Roger's room. Mark was standing outside the room, waiting.  
  
"He's in there, of course," Mark said. "You'd better make him feel better a bit."  
  
Kyla nodded and Mark opened the door to the room. Kyla entered.  
  
Roger was sitting on the bed, fiddling with his guitar. He looked up and glared at Kyla. He said nothing. Kyla looked down. As soon as she started, he went to the bathroom, with his guitar. He locked the door and started playing.  
  
"Well, thanks you mother fucker!" Kyla yelled. "I'm here to apologize for yesterday, but you don't seem to want it, do ya? Huh?" She leaned against the door and slid down. She took out her pocketknife. "Know what? If I were really insecure, I would probably slice my wrists or something, y'know, for attention.  
  
"Ever since I was little.I've always been insecure.I loved the blades.I would slice a small fracture of my skin to feel the blade. I loved them.I guess.I guess I've always liked you, Roger, even when I was little; I've always liked the names.Roger and Davis.  
  
"Aren't I just a suck up, eh? Man.you hate my guts.but I like you, I seriously do. Ever since you, Lausanne, Mark and I started a small.well, family, I guess, I've always liked you. Before you found out that you loved Mark, I was always hoping you would look at me and realize what I was."  
  
'Is she saying she.she loves me?' Roger thought.  
  
"Then.then, you and Mark became a couple.I was frustrated. I wanted you, I seriously did. I was so into you. I was.I was totally obsessed. I collected every Roger toy, Roger picture and Roger anything from the Internet.now look at me.I guess.I still like you in that way.but, seriously, wonder why I'm usually late from work? No, I ain't a slut.I'm.I'm getting major counseling. It's bloody hard.  
"But.now, I guess.I guess that now all of us are living together.we all have a part in our family, which was small to begin with, then grew."  
  
Roger didn't realize it, but he had stopped playing and was listening to Kyla's every word. She was confessing her heart to him.  
  
"I guess.I kinda am the mother hen, no? I support everyone and help him or her out the best I can. You.you're my brother and Mark is your.well, girlfriend, I guess, and Charlene is my niece. John's your twin brother.Bender and Anthony are twins.and, and.Lausanne.Lausanne is our little sister.our little sister who we have to look after.Cid's our older brother because.because he's like that.and Manley, well, I dunno, more of.well, I dunno yet.don't know much about him."  
  
Roger was now suddenly crying silently, guitar in his lap. He didn't know that she cared so much that she classified them all as a family. One huge family.was that what they really were?  
  
"But.because of me, we're probably gonna all split up.because I'm that rude to you and Mark.just because of a crush.I'm pissed off because of some stupid crush. I'm nearly twenty.and this is how I act. I don't deserve to know you.really, I don't." Her voice was starting to crack some as she tried not to cry. "I'm a bad girl.a very bad girl."  
  
Suddenly, Kyla fell backwards as the door opened. She looked up into Mark's eyes. She smiled.  
  
"Hi!" she said. "I talked I apologize.can I go now?" She was trying not to let Mark get the hint that she wanted to talk some more.  
  
"Yeah, you can," Mark said, clearing the way for her.  
  
She briskly walked out. Mark closed the door.  
  
".Roger?" Mark said.  
  
Roger came out of the bathroom and looked at Mark. He didn't look like he had cried just moments before. He hugged Mark.  
  
"You alright?" Mark asked.  
  
Roger nodded. "Yeah." he said quietly. "I'm alright.why do you ask?"  
  
"No reason.no reason at all." Mark said.  
  
"I'm so happy you came," Kyla said to Alex. "You wouldn't believe how stupid I'd look walking around with Nuriko and Tasuki."  
  
Alex smiled. "You're nice."  
  
"Yeah, aren't I?" She smiled.  
  
"Well.I like that, erm."  
  
"Kimono," Kyla said.  
  
"Yes.you look very nice in that Kimono." Alex nodded. "But, as I said before, nothing can top Oktoberfest."  
  
Kyla rolled her eyes as they entered the festival grounds. Tasuki and Nuriko (who they found out was a cross dresser) were waiting for the two of them. Nuriko's eyes wondered to Alex.  
  
"Well, hey there," Tasuki said. "Thanks for finally joining us."  
  
"I was busy," Kyla said. "Girls can't be pressured to hurry up."  
  
"I was ready an hour before she was," Alex said, looking around. "Oktober-"  
  
"I know, I know!" Kyla said. "Whenever I'm in Germany, I'll go to Oktoberfest, alright?"  
  
Alex smiled.  
  
"Come on, Kyla!" Nuriko said. "We've gotta see Hotohori! He's so dreamy."  
  
"You're leaving me?" Alex asked.  
  
"I'll meet you at the fan booth in an hour, alright?" Kyla said. "I'm gonna be dragged all over.!!"  
  
Alex and Tasuki were waiting by the fan booth.  
  
"They've been over an hour, where are they?" Tasuki demanded.  
  
"They're a girl and a cross dresser, they take their time," Alex said, taking a sip of his green tea. "Well, anyways, here they come.with."  
  
"Hotohori," Tasuki sighed.  
  
Nuriko was all over a tall man with beautiful brown hair. Kyla didn't look too happy to have him there. She ran over to Alex.  
  
"How're you enjoying yourself?" she asked  
  
"One word, Oktoberfest." Alex's eyes shone.  
  
Kyla nodded. "Yeah.yeah.well, I'm getting real tired, you guys." She looked towards the other three. "I'll be leaving, alright?"  
  
"But, the festivities haven't even started!" Tasuki said.  
  
"Really.I'm a party pooper, so.no," she smiled.  
  
Alex smiled. 'Thank god we're leaving,' he thought.  
  
"Well, Alex, let's go."  
  
The two of them were halfway to the hotel, but Kyla didn't look like she could make it. She was about to fall asleep on her feet. She nearly crashed into a lamppost; grabbed Alex and the two of them fell to the ground, Alex bashing his head on the lamppost.  
  
"Alex, you alright?" Kyla ask. "Did you hit your head?"  
  
Alex, being a male, shook his head. "No.not at all, I'm fine." He stood up and picked her up in his arms. "How about I carry you so then we don't get hurt?" He looked at her leg. "Oh, dear, you're bleeding."  
  
"It's nothing," Kyla told him, blushing. "Just a cut." She wrapped his arms around his neck. "You sure you can carry me?"  
  
"Yes, pretty sure. You're light.for your height."  
  
He carried her all the way to the hotel. Both of them said nothing. Kyla was having a somewhat daydream. She was thinking about how wonderful Alex was. Alex was trying not to think of her, he was keeping his mind focused. He even carried Kyla up the stairs, right to hers and Anthony's room. He placed her down carefully.  
  
"Erm.thanks for coming," Kyla said.  
  
"Yeah.well."  
  
"I know, I know, Oktoberfest." She smiled.  
  
Alex suddenly turned red. "Erm.I was wondering." He hesitated. "Will you go out to dinner with me?" He suddenly realized he went a bit too fast.  
  
"Erm...what?" Kyla was lost.  
  
"Will you.could I have the honor of.having dinner with you sometime before you and I both leave for our homes?"  
  
Kyla looked a bit surprised. "Erm.alright. How about next.next Friday, before my gang and I leave?"  
  
"Yeah.and I return, away from my rest and relaxation," Alex said.  
  
"Hey, why don't you spend a couple months over at my place? There're lots of rooms and I can get everyone to shut up or to get out of the house while you're resting."  
  
"You sure you wouldn't mind?" Alex asked.  
  
"Why would I?" Kyla asked  
  
"I dunno.and the others?"  
  
"They won't care, either, seriously, there's more room than anything. Why do you think we invited so many friggin' people to our parties?"  
  
Alex smiled. "Thanks.will think about it."  
  
A few days later, everyone was back at the beach, tanning, or in John's case, getting beaten up. Roger was back outside and enjoying watching John get beaten up by Lausanne and Kyla.  
  
Suddenly, Lausanne was playing around a bit too much. She was saying that John didn't love her and that he loved Kyla. His tongue accidentally slipped and said,  
  
"Lausanne, I do love you! I couldn't love Kyla as much as you! She's a real bitch and pain in the ass!"  
  
Kyla took this serious and not play. She looked real offended.  
  
"Is that what you guys think of me?" she demanded. "A pain in the ass bitch?"  
  
She turned around and left.  
  
"Aw, c'mon, Kyla, I didn't mean it!" John said.  
  
Lausanne touched his shoulder and shook her head. "Don't worry, let her calm down, she'll figure it out that it was just something by mistake. Nothing much.and if she isn't better by dinner time, we'll get Alex to talk to her, ok?"  
  
John nodded. "I'm a fool at times."  
  
There was a knock at Kyla's hotel door. She scampered to answer it. Alex was there.  
  
"Hey!" she smiled. "What brings you up here?" She cleared the way for him.  
  
Alex walked in and closed the door. "Well.come up to see if you're coming down for dinner."  
  
Kyla sat down on her bed. "Well.I dunno." She looked up. "Don't wanna."  
  
Alex sat down by her. "Why not?"  
  
"Because, even though John was kiddin' around, it got me thinking.what if everyone likes Lausanne and not me and they all want me out?"  
  
Alex moved closer to her. "They wouldn't think that.you're too nice and kind. most of the time. You just let things get to your head, like this."  
  
"Yeah.I do." She lied down on the bed.  
  
Alex lied beside her. "Well.you have to join us for dinner. Everyone will be missing you."  
  
"Let them miss me," Kyla smirked. "I'm evil."  
  
Alex tickled her; she tried to shove him off of her. He got her pinned and he was tickling her half to death. He stopped and looked down at her. She looked up.  
  
"So.when're you gonna order those ten kisses, eh?" she asked. "C'mon.it's been nearly three days, ain't ya anxious?"  
  
He smiled. "Maybe.I'm a pretty patient man, y'know?" She nodded. "Well, since you seem so anxious.how about.four?"  
  
"Now? After dinner?"  
  
"Well.half and half.well, no. Only two.then I can have them right now."  
  
She smiled, nodded and leaned towards him.  
  
"I'm nineteen! I'm nineteen!" Lausanne chanted.  
  
"I have a headache, I have a headache!" Roger muttered.  
  
Mark smiled at this comment.  
  
All of the adults were walking to a pretty nice bar. Kyla wasn't too pleased with this, let's just say, she was more of the sleaze bag bar type. She was only going because of Lausanne.  
  
As they walked inside, they noticed a change in everything. It went from balmy and warm to cool and mysterious. Lausanne smiled.  
  
"It's nothing more than a huge room.like a restaurant," she said.  
  
"It's better when there're strippers and dancers," Kyla muttered as they sat down at a table.  
  
Lausanne looked over. "Oh, karaoke! I'm gonna go sing."  
  
"You go do that," Manley said.  
  
Roger looked over as Kyla glared even more. The day before, she had just learned that Manley and Lausanne were going out. And no one told her!  
  
After a few moments, Lausanne came back, all happy. Kyla suddenly stood up.  
  
"And, where are you going?" Bender asked.  
  
"To a different bar, seriously, this is boring." Kyla stuck her nose up.  
  
Lausanne followed her as she left.  
  
"Where do you think you're going?" Lausanne demanded.  
  
"Either to a sleaze - ass bar or to the hotel," Kyla told her. She looked around. "Yeah, and thanks for telling me you and Manley were going out."  
  
"I was gonna tell you," Lausanne said. "I was happier than usual, wouldn't that throw it off?"  
  
"I thought you were drinking too much caffeine again, alright?" Kyla turned around, eyes glaring. "Now, just do me a favor and fuck off, MacKay. I'm getting real sick of you not telling me anything! Gawd." She turned around and started walking again.  
  
Lausanne stood there, shocked and crying. 


	9. Matchmaker for Anthony and John

Chapter Seven: Matchmaker for Anthony and John  
  
It was the day when everyone returned from Hawaii and instantly, Lausanne knew that something was wrong. Tugger was missing! Her precious orange, yellow and black cat! She scampered around looking for him, John helped also, while everyone else unpacked.  
  
Cid and Chey-Anne (who was supposed to look after the house and Kyla's little sister) walked in.  
  
"Hey, hey, hey!" Cid said cheerfully. "How's everyone?"  
  
"Feel like shit, plane's aren't my thing," Roger told him.  
  
Kyla was already collapsed upon the couch. Chey-Anne looked at her.  
  
"My gawd, my sister is such a lazy ass," she said in her high, annoying voice.  
  
Suddenly, there was a high, loud, annoying screech from the cat's room. All of the cats, no matter where they were sitting, fell off whatever they were sitting on. Lausanne ran out of the cat's room, clutching a cut-up Tugger.  
  
"He's hurt!" Lausanne said. "My baby's hurt!"  
  
Kyla got up and examined Tugger.  
  
"Oh, what a surprise, it wasn't a different cat," she said. She looked at Chey-Anne. "It was that thing." She pointed at her.  
  
"How would you know it was me?" Chey-Anne demanded.  
  
"Well, first off, these are human scratch marks, next, you were the only one that was feeding the cats, not Cid or Shera, and.this is your hair on his collar and in his claws." She went and examined the thirteen-year-old's hairline. "Yeah.and you have scratches in your hair."  
  
Lausanne looked at Chey-Anne. "How could you? Why did you? Tugger's a defenseless cat, you.you.you monster!"  
  
Kyla pulled Lausanne close. "C'mon, I'll call up Charlie and then we can go and take Tugger to a vet, alright?"  
  
Lausanne nodded. Kyla went to the phone and dialed her brother's number. Everyone else was looking at a trying-to-be-innocent Chey-Anne. Kyla hung up the phone.  
  
"Get your stuff together, Charlie will be here in an hour, and in that hour, you are not to talk, look or think about anything in this house, you are banned for the rest of your life," she told Chey-Anne. "And I mean it this time." She went over to Lausanne. "While we're waiting for Tugger to get fixed up, there's a new musical shop by the Tugger's vet's that we should check out. There're new 'Cats' dolls and CDs."  
  
Lausanne nodded as Kyla took her out the door.  
  
"You wouldn't believe what I got!!" Kyla said.  
  
"The new Anthony Rapp CD, which isn't out until next week?" Alex asked.  
  
"Noooo!" Kyla said. "That's reserved, though. I got a-"  
  
"TIGER!!" Mark yelled, hopping up onto the back of the couch.  
  
Kyla hugged the tiger. "His name is Taj. Lausanne wouldn't let me name him Anthony."  
  
"She would seem.too obsessed," Lausanne said.  
  
Kyla picked up the tiger and held it to Alex's face. "Ain't he cute?"  
  
"Yes, yes, very cute," Alex said, rolling his eyes.  
  
She put Taj down. The tiger ran all over the place, looking at his new surroundings. Lausanne put Tugger down. He was looking must better than a few hours before. Taj ran over to Tugger and started licking him and cuddling him. Tugger didn't know what to do, but he started licking Taj back.  
  
"Aw, how cute!" Lausanne said. "We've gotta get a picture!"  
  
Manley handed her a camera. She took a picture of the two different species of cats licking each other.  
  
Kyla cradled Taj in her lap. "Aw! Came to a conclusion! He's cuter than Anthony!"  
  
Anthony looked over. "Did I just lose a fan to a.tiger?"  
  
"Naw," John said. "Just to cuteness."  
  
After six days, Kyla and John were looking at the fabric in the couch.  
  
"It's blue, not black.and it has tiny little white specks in it!" Kyla observed.  
  
"Weird.and I thought Lausanne made sure all of this furniture was black," John said. "She did spend three hours looking for it in the furniture store."  
  
"United Furniture Warehouse, bum, bum!" Kyla said.  
  
Bender looked up.  
  
"Yes, well, while you two are observing the couches, why not clean up somewhat?" he asked. "It may be a good thing to do while everyone else is out and while you two wanna sing the 'United Furniture Warehouse' theme."  
  
Kyla looked at John and John looked back. They turned to bender and said,  
  
"NO!"  
  
Bender sighed and went back to his work. Alex came out of his room, yawning and stretching. He smiled at the two observing the couch.  
  
"What in the world are they doing?" Alex asked.  
  
"Observing the couch, not cleaning up and singing the 'United Furniture Warehouse' theme," Bender replied. "Everyone else is out so they're amusing themselves."  
  
"Everyone else is out, eh?" Alex said thoughtfully. He walked over to John. "Hey, John, so, when're you going to ask him?"  
  
While everyone was in Hawaii, Alex found out that John and Anthony both liked each other very deeply. It was just that John was too shy or embarrassed to ask Anthony out, and Anthony was more of the girl-type of gay man, so he was asked to go out.  
  
John shook his head. "Nope."  
  
Kyla looked over. "Hey, Johnny has a crush-y?"  
  
John looked over to her. "You stay outta this."  
  
"Johnny's in love!" Kyla chanted.  
  
"Kyla.that's immature," John said. "And, I bet that you don't know that you and Alex are going out? So there, I can tease you, too!"  
  
Kyla thought. "Alex and I are going out?"  
  
Bender laughed from his desk.  
  
"I feel so loved," Alex said.  
  
"Well, I dunno!" Kyla said, honestly. "I'm not the smartest person in the house!" She looked back to John. "I bet you're in love with Manley!"  
  
"No!" John said, offended - like. "He's Lausanne's!"  
  
Kyla's eyes narrowed. "You liked Anthony.don't you? Don't you?" She sniffed. "Why is it that all the gay guys make it before me?"  
  
"You wouldn't stand a chance, anyways," John told her. "I'm much sexier and handsomer than you!"  
  
"I would be scared if I was handsome."  
  
"You have a point."  
  
Kyla cleared her throat. "Now that I got John to tell me he's in love with Anthony, I'd say it's time to play 'Matchmaker'. Ok, now, John, I need you to go with Alex and clean house, alright?"  
  
Mark came back in from outside. He had been sledding with Charlene. Kyla looked over.  
  
"Mark, I need you to get a tux for John," she said, shoving him back out the door.  
  
"Huh?" Mark asked before he was flung outside.  
  
"I'll make dinner and.Bender.I need you to find out where Anthony is and tell him to do many things so then he's occupied for a while, you know his cell phone number, right?" Bender nodded. "Good, good. Now, let's get down to business, people!"  
  
"I'm gonna regret this," John said.  
  
After about an hour of cleaning and tidying up, John just had to collapse on the ground. Alex looked at him.  
  
"Would you like some water, John?" he asked.  
  
"I prefer coffee," John told him.  
  
Alex looked at him, quite offended. "You English people are all the same. You don't even say 'bitte' oder 'danke' do you?"  
  
"Excuse me?" John said, translating. "What was that all about?"  
  
Alex ignored John and turned around and went to his bedroom. The few people in the house heard the echoing slam.  
  
"What was that all about?" Bender asked.  
  
"I dunno." John said.  
  
Mark entered the house again, with a tuxedo.  
  
"They didn't have John's size, so I had to go one size up, alright?" Mark asked.  
  
"Good," Kyla said. "Now go find Anthony and keep him outta the house!" She shoved him back outside.  
  
John looked up at Kyla.  
  
"How about.I cook dinner and you go and find out what's up Alex's ass, alright?" John asked.  
  
Kyla looked at him. "Fine, fine. But I still get credit!"  
  
"Yes, yes, you still get credit," John agreed.  
  
Kyla walked to Alex's room and knocked on the door.  
  
"Alex.can I come in, please?" she asked.  
  
"Sure.why not?" Alex asked, still kind of sounding mad.  
  
Kyla walked in, closed the door and walked over to Alex. She sat on the bed and looked at him.  
  
"Yes?" he asked.  
  
"Why were you mean to John?" she asked.  
  
He sighed. "It's a silly reason, really."  
  
"Well, tell me." She was trying to look like she was pleading.  
  
"Ok, well.when I was younger.about ten or so, my parents divorced. My dad married this English woman who was.well, evil, basically. She hated me, seriously. She didn't believe in any of my dreams. She would always tell me that I was a lazy little boy and.that's why I tried to live with my mother as much as I could because she never remarried."  
  
Kyla's expression suddenly changed. She looked aware and understanding. She nodded.  
  
"Yeah.kind of like.like my parents." she said. "But."  
  
"When John said he preferred coffee, I just kind of took it the wrong way," Alex admitted. "I should apologize."  
  
Kyla moved towards Alex. "Yeah.that would be a good idea. And, hey, sorry I didn't realize th-"  
  
"It's alright.Lausanne and Roger told me about your.erm.not being able to get hints and everything."  
  
Kyla nodded. "Yeah.I'm kin-"  
  
Alex grabbed her and kissed her.  
  
"You're just kinda seductive," he whispered into her ear. He kissed her again.  
  
"No.no, I'm not." Kyla said, pushing Alex slightly away. "I'm not." She suddenly stopped talking and looked down.  
  
After a moment, Alex asked:  
  
"What's wrong? Was is something I had said?"  
  
"No.and.yes." Kyla continued to look down. "You're right. I am seductive, even if I did cut up my face and Cid helped remove the scars without leaving any marks. Or else.why.why was I raped.?" She wasn't crying, but she was about to.  
  
Alex held her close. "It's alright."  
  
"We're leaving now!" Bender said. "You and John have a very nice time together, Anthony."  
  
Anthony nodded. "But.where're you all going?"  
  
"We have some things we must do," Mark told him. "And places to be."  
  
"Alright then.bye, I guess," Anthony said.  
  
As everyone left, John set the table for only he and Anthony. Kyla was hiding in her room, listening in, for she had bugged the whole dining room area.  
  
"Well, John, you went all out for only you and I," Anthony said. "Spaghetti and meatballs? There's going to be lots of leftovers."  
  
"Yes, well, that'll be good," John told him, kind of shy-like. "I don't feel like cooking anything tomorrow."  
  
"Hey, I heard about the semi - fight between you and Alex, how'd that turn out?"  
  
"He apologized.was a silly reason for a fight, anyways, we both agree." He put the pots on the table. "Well.shall we eat?"  
  
"Yeah.I guess," Anthony said, pushing his glasses up.  
  
The two of them sat down and dished themselves up. They were completely silent, deep in their own thoughts. John was being completely hesitant to ask what he really wanted to ask. Finally.about half an hour later, John couldn't stand it anymore. He finally had to ask.  
  
"Erm.Anthony, could I ask ya something?" he asked.  
  
Anthony looked over. "Yeah. Why couldn't you be able to ask me something?"  
  
"Well.it's just that." John hesitated some more. "I really like you and I would love to have the honor of going on a date with you!"  
  
Anthony looked over, slightly surprised. "Yeah.yeah, I'd love to."  
  
John looked over, knowing he must be beet red. "Really?"  
  
Anthony nodded. And, so it was the beginning of a wonderful relationship. 


	10. A Parent's Visit

Chapter Eight: A Parent's Visit  
  
Kyla was rushing around, trying to find out where her purse was. She started to look around the living room area. John grabbed her purse off the table and shoved it at her.  
  
"There.now, why're you rushing?" John asked.  
  
"I've got an appointment to go to and I've gotta get insurance for my car and I've gotta go shopping and I'm expecting guests," Kyla told him, irritated. "Now, I must be leaving."  
  
She quickly put on her shoes and left.  
  
Lausanne looked confused.  
  
"Guests?" she asked. "Since when does she have.guests?"  
  
"Since she becomes social?" Manley asked. "Anyways, enough of her, let's play cards!" He was talking to Alex.  
  
Alex smiled. "Fine.if you want to lose again." His green eyes shimmered mischievously. "I'm not gonna lose!" Manley said as he dealt the cards. "Oh, Manley, win!" Lausanne said.  
  
The game was barely on the go, when there was a knock at the door. John went and answered it. He came back and whispered to Lausanne,  
  
"A Mr. and Mrs. Lynch are here." He looked kind of scared.  
  
Lausanne's face dropped. But, she said, "Bring them in."  
  
John went back to the door and came back again, this time accompanied by Kyla's parents. Mrs. Lynch's face dropped when she saw Lausanne, who was trying to be as friendly as possible.  
  
"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Lynch," Lausanne said. "How're you?"  
  
Mr. Lynch looked at Lausanne. "You are.?"  
  
"Lausanne.Lausanne MacKay."  
  
Mrs. Lynch's face dropped even more. She said nothing.  
  
"Sit down, sit down," Lausanne said, being a good hostess. "Anything I can get you guys? Water? Coffee? Tea?"  
  
"Coffee for me, Lausanne," Mr. Lynch said.  
  
Lausanne nodded and got Mr. Lynch a cup of coffee. Mrs. Lynch looked around.  
  
"And.who are these?" She was talking about everyone else.  
  
Lausanne introduced everyone and who was with who and such. Mrs. Lynch smiled when Lausanne said Alex was currently with Kyla.  
  
"So.she finally has a boyfriend?" Mrs. Lynch asked. "Thought she was gay?"  
  
Roger snickered at that comment; Mark had to elbow him in the stomach to make him stop. Mr. Lynch, feeling something may happen, changed the subject.  
  
"Well, everyone else, how well do you know my child?" he asked. " Very well, I'd say," Anthony said.  
  
"Would any of you like to hear some stories?" he asked. "Very humorous, indeed."  
  
"Oh, yes, please!" Roger was basically begging. "Anything to laugh at her!"  
  
Kyla walked into the house, hearing laughter. She had a new hairstyle. It was cut short and streaked red. She and Charlene walked into the main room.  
  
"What's so funny?" Kyla asked.  
  
Roger looked up, pointed to her hair and laughed harder.  
  
"What'd ya do?" he asked. "Get a blind man to do your hair?" He laughed more. "You.you marble-eater you!"  
  
Kyla looked horrified as she looked at her father.  
  
"YOU TOLD HIM THAT STORY?" she yelled.  
  
Charlene walked over to Roger, lollipop in her mouth.  
  
"Daddy!" she said with enthusiasm. "I got a trim and I got a lollipop for being a good girl!"  
  
"And you look beautiful," Roger said, hugging her.  
  
Charlene started to tell Roger her exciting experience in the hair salon.  
  
Mr. Lynch looked at Kyla.  
  
"So.introduce us," he said.  
  
".What?" Kyla asked, as she put the groceries away.  
  
"Introduce us completely to your boyfriend."  
  
Alex looked up from his game of solitaire. Kyla tapped her fingers on the counter.  
  
"He's right there," she pointed.  
  
"Nice introduction," Mrs. Lynch said.  
  
"Mother!" Kyla seemed irritated. "FINE!" She coughed. "Mother.Father." She held up a bag of 'Chips Ahoy'. "This is my boyfriend, Mr. Christie, and he makes good cookies." She nodded.  
  
Mrs. Lynch looked offended and Mr. Lynch started laughing. Alex looked slightly confused.  
  
".Cookies are preferred over me?" he asked.  
  
Kyla walked over to him and hugged him. "No.you're preferred over cookies, Alex!" She smiled.  
  
Mr. Lynch stood up. "May I have a talk with Alex?"  
  
"I dunno, can you?" she smiled like the brat she is. "Ya wanna, Alex?"  
  
"I, erm, guess so," Alex said, standing up to face Mr. Lynch.  
  
Mr. Lynch cleared his throat and clearly said: "What do you want with my daughter?"  
  
"DADDY!!" Kyla screeched.  
  
Alex turned very red as everyone looked over. He cleared his throat.  
  
"Sir.Mr. Lynch, sir? Can.we go to a spare room and talk about this?" Alex was basically begging.  
  
"Yeah.I guess," Mr. Lynch said.  
  
Alex led Mr. Lynch to a spare room. He closed the door and looked at Mr. Lynch. He cleared his throat again.  
  
"All I want from your daughter is.is her love," he said. "I find her very attractive and breathtaking. I would never think of hurting her, seriously, sir. If I did, I would hate myself a lot because I love her that much. And.if I did anything to make her not love me any more.I would probably die because there's no other girl like her.unless you count Roger."  
  
Mr. Lynch looked pleased at Alex's answer.  
  
"And another question.I know my daughter well.what would you do when she's depressed?"  
  
Alex took a while to think of an answer.  
  
"Well.I would care for her, and try to help her as much as I could. I would make sure that she's safe and away from sharp objects. And.and.if she was really depressed, I would talk to her and.heh, do my best."  
  
"Good," Mr. Lynch said. "So.when's she gonna meet YOUR parents?"  
  
".Whenever we go to Germany or they come here, I guess."  
  
They went back into the main room. There, Kyla and her mother were arguing about marriage and Kyla didn't want to talk about it. Finally, Mr. Lynch interfered, right when there was another knock at the door. Bender went and answered it. He came back, whispered something to Alex and then Alex went to the door.  
  
When Alex got to the doorway, he was his mother and father. They started talking in German. It seemed that his parents had gotten back together and were going to re-marry in a few months and had decided to visit him. He showed them to the main room, where Kyla and John were fighting over her 'Chips Ahoy'.  
  
"Erm, everyone?" Alex said. "This is my mother and father.they've gotten back together and are gonna re-marry."  
  
"That's great!" Kyla said, punching John in the side of the head. "Give me!"  
  
"VICIOUS!" John yelled.  
  
Alex cleared his throat. "Mother.father.this is Bender, Anthony, John, who you know, Roger, Mark, Lausanne, Charlene, Manley, Kyla and Kyla's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lynch."  
  
Mr. and Mrs. Melcher nodded and smiled.  
  
"Nice to meet you all," Mrs. Melcher said. "And, John, yet again.though, last time, you weren't wrestling with a girl."  
  
John smirked. "Yeah.I know."  
  
Kyla got up and kicked John in the leg. "Give me my cookies!" John gave up her cookies. "Good, you know whose boss."  
  
Roger came behind her and tackled her down and stole her cookies. "Yeah. Me!"  
  
"Fine.I'm not buying 'Chips Ahoy' no more," Kyla said. "Next time.it will be 'Rainbow Chips Ahoy'."  
  
Roger sighed as he split the cookies with John and Charlene.  
  
Mr. Melcher looked amused. He looked at Mr. Lynch.  
  
"You've got a very interesting daughter," Mr. Melcher said.  
  
"I know, ain't she interesting?" Mr. Lynch said with pride as he watched Kyla get tackled by John and Roger and try to bite them both.  
  
"Dad.Mom.Kyla and I are going out, I think you'd like to know that," Alex said.  
  
"Oh, I would never have guessed!" Mrs. Melcher said. "After Peti."  
  
"PETI VAN DER VELDE IS A SLUT!" Kyla yelled from under John and Roger. "She was mean to leave Alex." She bit John's arm and John smacked her in the nose.  
  
Alex looked down. "Kyla.isn't fond of Peti."  
  
"So I can tell with such language," Mrs. Melcher said. "But.I'm thinking she can be sweet?"  
  
Kyla finally got out from under John and Roger and shrugged.  
  
"Once in a while, I guess," she said. She kicked John. "Eat my cookies.you're making dinner, then."  
  
"Thought Roger ate the cookies?" John asked.  
  
"You helped!" Kyla dusted herself off and sat in a chair. "So.how're we today?"  
  
"I'm very fine, thank you," Mrs. Melcher said.  
  
"Bit tired of seeing the sky, but very well," Mr. Melcher told her.  
  
"I hate being in planes," Kyla said. "So crowded and the food tastes funny."  
  
John snickered. "That's because I put some spices on it that shouldn't be on it."  
  
Kyla got back up and started play fighting with John again. Mr. Lynch smiled.  
  
"That's my girl, as vicious as ever!" he said with pride.  
  
Suddenly, the fight turned real and it was Roger and Kyla. Roger had tripped over the two of them and Kyla had blamed Roger. The fight turned nasty.  
  
"You guys!" Anthony said, trying to split them. "This is immature!"  
  
John and Manley got right in the middle. John held Roger off and Manley, Kyla. The two of them were trying to punch each other, several feet apart. They were not saying very nice things, either. Kyla broke free of Manley.  
  
"I'm outta here," she said in her bossy voice.  
  
"Good!" Roger said. "Maybe you can stop by a place where they sell self discipline!"  
  
Kyla glared at him. "I can't believe I'm like you."  
  
Roger scoffed. "Can't believe I'm like you."  
  
Kyla then left, slamming the door.  
  
Mark sighed. It was several hours later and Roger was in his room, the door locked. The parents had all left, mostly out of shock. Mark walked back and forth around the living room area.  
  
"Mark, settle down, you're giving me a headache," Anthony said, looking a bit dizzy.  
  
"Then, you shouldn't be looking at him walk back and forth," Bender said, completing a work sheet.  
  
"We could always send him somewhere," Lausanne said.  
  
"But, where?" Manley asked.  
  
Mark looked up. "Angel and Collins.we could let him spend the week there!" He smiled. "Angel and Collins always cheer people up! They're so god damned cheery, themselves!"  
  
Lausanne stood up. "Mark, that is a great idea! Someone go get Roger, someone else call Angel and Collins!" 


	11. Valentine's Day

Chapter Nine: Valentine's Day  
  
It was now a week and a day since the.well, the little incident. Everyone was now feeling a bit better than before, especially Roger.  
  
Roger had one deep secret.he was born on Valentine's Day. It was his darkest, and most feared secret. Only a selected few others knew that. But, of course, only one person in that whole house knew it.  
  
Mark walked over to Roger and smiled. He quietly whispered: "Happy birthday, Roger," and smiled. Roger whispered back, "Thanks," and smiled.  
  
Charlene was making up cards with Kyla, who was covered in sparkles and glue. The two of them were having a jolly old time.well; Charlene was with the sparkles and the glue. Kyla was kind of.not really impressed with the sparkles.  
  
"HEY!" Kyla said. "Lausanne! Misto sparkles!" She flung sparkles onto Lausanne, who was caught by surprise.  
  
Manley came up from behind Lausanne, and hugged her. "Guess what I've got for you tonight?" His voice was taunting.  
  
"Pizza?" Lausanne said, totally random.  
  
"No," Manley said. "I'm gonna take you to dinner then we're gonna see 'Hedwig and the Angry Inch'."  
  
Lausanne smiled. "Oh, one musical I'm dying to see."  
  
Kyla was flinging more sparkles on Lausanne when Alex walked up to her.  
  
"Erm.Kyla?" he said.  
  
"Yes?" She flung sparkles on him, also.  
  
"I.I've got a gift for you," he said, slightly blushing.  
  
"Aw, ya shouldn't have," Kyla said. "Really, you shouldn't have. I hate Valentine's Day."  
  
Roger smiled from his spot on the couch.  
  
"Well.it's nothing much.really," Alex said.  
  
"Yeah, and when I'm all cleaned up, I'll get you your gift, which I actually remembered!" She smiled. She flung more sparkles on him. "Heh, you're all sparkly now."  
  
Alex went into his pocket and gave her a necklace with an emerald snowflake on the end, as the pendant. He put it on her neck, to make sure no sparkles or glue got on it. Kyla smiled.  
  
"Really now.you shouldn't have," Kyla said. "Now.time to un-Misto myself." She quickly went to wash up.  
  
She came back with a couple of packages; one, the smaller one, was more than likely for Alex. She opened the packages.  
  
"I bought cookies and cupcakes in hearts for everyone!" she said. She went over to Alex and put the small package (a gold watch) into his hand. "This is for you." She smiled.  
  
He looked at it. "Makes my gift feel unspecialized."  
  
"Naw," she said. "I love it.really, I do!"  
  
"Come here, you," Alex said. He kissed her.  
  
John came with a camera and took a picture.  
  
"How cute," he said, smiling evilly.  
  
"I'll let you get away with this.this time," Alex said, smiling.  
  
There was a knock at the door. Bender got up and answered it. He came back with a blonde girl, who looked a lot like Roger. Roger looked up from his spot on the couch and smiled when he saw her.  
  
"Mary-Anne?" he said. He stood up. "Is that really you?"  
  
The girl nodded. "Yeah, I'm here, Roger." She smiled and hugged him. "It's been too long since you moved!"  
  
Alex felt Kyla trying to move behind him.  
  
"I know it has been," Roger said, hugging back. "Man.it's great seeing you again. You remember my best friend, Mark, right?"  
  
Mary-Anne nodded and Roger pointed to Mark. Mark waved and smiled and Mary- Anne nodded. Mary-Anne looked over towards Alex, but she didn't see Alex, she saw Kyla. Her jaw dropped and Kyla's shoulders sagged.  
  
"Kyla?" Mary-Anne said. "Erm.yeah?" Kyla replied with a bit of nervousness.  
  
Mary-Anne smiled. "I can't believe it's you! Oh my gawd, look at you! You're.you look so different!" She went over to Kyla and hugged her.  
  
Kyla tried to back off, but it wasn't working very well. Mary-Anne started to tell her stuff that had happened since she left. Kyla wasn't too pleased; Mary-Anne kept saying all the promises she had made.  
  
"And now we can be together again!" Mary-Anne said happily.  
  
Kyla put her hand on the back of her neck and bit her lip, an obvious sign of nervousness (well, it wasn't so obvious to Mary-Anne).  
  
"Erm.well.Mary-Anne," Kyla began, "I've moved on. I've got a boyfriend now."  
  
"What?" Roger's sister was caught by surprise. "What do you mean? What.what about the promises?" Her eyes began to swell with tears.  
  
"That was a year and a half ago, Mary-Anne." Kyla looked away. "I was on a lot of shit and stuff.I made promises I couldn't keep. I'm sorry."  
  
As Mary-Anne broke into tears, Roger came over.  
  
"I heard the conversation," he turned to Kyla. "How could you do that to her?!" Before she could answer, he turned to Mary-Anne again. "C'mon, sis, let's go sit and talk." He took her over to the couch.  
  
Alex turned to Kyla.  
  
"What was that all about?" he asked, confused.  
  
"Let's go to my room and I'll tell you about it," she told him.  
  
She led him to her room and closed her door. He sat down on her bed and she sat by him. She looked up at him.  
  
"Back in my lesbian - druggie days, I met Mary-Anne," she started. "We became close, fast. Eventually, we were a couple. I.erm, well, I made some promises that I knew that I couldn't keep." She saw Alex nod slowly. "But, I don't want to keep them. The only person I want for the rest of my life currently is you. Honestly."  
  
"I believe you," Alex said. He pulled her into a hug. "Just, don't make promises you can't keep, alright?"  
  
Kyla nodded. "Yeah.I'm sure I can keep that one."  
  
A few hours later, after Mary-Anne had left, a few people had an urge. A very unusual urge. Roger, John, Kyla, Lausanne and Manley grouped up and started to sing 'Kid's Game' from Blood Brothers.  
  
John: (to Kyla) I got ya, I shot ya, an' ya bloody know I did, I got ya, I shot ya-  
  
Kyla: (to John) I stopped it with a bin lid!  
  
All: But ya know that if you cross your fingers, and if you count from one to ten, you can get up off the ground again, it doesn't matter, the whole thing's just a game!  
  
Kyla: What're we gonna play now?  
  
All: gangsters! Nah-nah-nah-nah-nah-nah-nah-nah!  
  
Manley: (to Kyla) My name's Elliot Ness and lady here's my card. I'm lookin' for one Al Capone. Mac, check out the back, Serge, you check the yard!  
  
Kyla: But, pal, I told ya! Al ain't home!  
  
Manley: Oh yeah? Manley shot imaginary bullets at John. So lady can I use your telephone?  
  
All: But ya know that if you cross your fingers, and if you count from one to ten, you can get up off the ground again, it doesn't matter, the whole thing's just a game!  
  
Lausanne: COWBOYS!  
  
Roger: (to John) When I say 'draw', you better grab that gun, and maybe say a li'l prayer, 'cause I'm the fastest that you ever saw! Call up your woman and say good-bye to her.  
  
Lausanne: Oh, shame!  
  
Roger: 'Cause you know you're going right down there.  
  
All: Indians! The group of adults starting making Indian whoops like they were little children again. Ya know that if you cross your fingers and if you count from one to ten, you can get up off the ground again, it doesn't matter, the whole thing's just a game!  
  
Kyla: Let's get them with the hand grenade!  
  
Lausanne: Let's see them try and get out of this!  
  
All: (but Kyla) He's the hotshot sergeant from the ninth brigade, he's never been known to miss.  
  
Kyla: C'mon, daddy, give us a kiss! She threw her hand up in the air, pretending to throw a grenade. All of them fell on the ground and hopped right back up.  
  
All: Ya know that if you cross your fingers and if you count from one to ten, you can get up off the ground again, it's doesn't matter, the whole thing's just a game!  
  
John: My name's Professor Howe and zees bomb I 'old, it can destroy the 'emisphere. I've timed it; I've primed it, to explode, unless you let me out of here?  
  
All: (but John) NO!  
  
John: No? Then I suggest you cover up your ears. John tossed another imaginary bomb and everyone fell on the ground.  
  
Kyla: (slowly getting up) Now you know that if you cross your fingers.  
  
All: And if you count from one and ten, then you can get up off the ground again, it doesn't matter, the whole thing's just a game, the whole thing's just a game, the whole thing's just a.GAME!  
  
The five of them went into giggles. The phone rang. Bender answered it.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hey, is.erm, is Bender there?" Sammy's voice said.  
  
"Yeah, this is Bender," he said.  
  
"Oh, hey, Bender, it's Sammy. Erm, Uncle Cid and Aunt Shera are going out tonight. I was wondering if you would like to come over tonight and watch a movie or something? I hate being home alone."  
  
"Yeah, I'd love to," Bender told her. "Everyone else here is going out, also."  
  
"Oh, cool. So.come over around seven?"  
  
"Yeah, sounds good to me."  
  
"Great. See you then, Bender."  
  
"Yeah, bye Sammy." Bender hung up the phone.  
  
Bender knocked at Cid's door. There was a crash from inside and Sammy answered the door. She seemed to have been rushing. She smiled.  
  
"Hi, Bender," she said in her usual shy voice.  
  
"Happy Valentine's Day," Bender said, smiling and being shy, also. "Here, since it's Valentine's, I got you a rose." He handed her a ruby-red rose.  
  
"Thanks." She turned pink around the ears. "Well, wanna watch a movie?"  
  
"Yeah, sounds good."  
  
"Ok, well, I'll go get popcorn and stuff and you can pick a movie."  
  
Bender nodded and went to the living room.  
  
That night, they watched an old movie from the 1980's. Before Bender left, he turned to Sammy.  
  
"Hey, Sammy.erm.would you.would you like to go on a date with me?" Bender asked. "And perhaps be my girlfriend?" His ears went really red.  
  
"Erm.I'd love to," Sammy replied.  
  
"Great.next Friday?"  
  
Sammy nodded.  
  
"See you then." 


	12. Roger and Kyla's Demises

Chapter Ten: Roger and Kyla's Demises  
  
It was April seventeenth, Charlene's birthday. Kyla was being the tackling dummy as the children tackled her and tickled her. Roger seemed to be getting one huge headache from all the noise and the children weren't helping, nor was Kyla screaming at the top of her lungs to get the little brats off.  
  
Finally, Lausanne brought in cookies, cupcakes and other types of yummy food that children adored, shushing them up a little bit.  
  
Kyla went over to the cupboard and got out her unopened package of 'Chips Ahoy'. When she opened the bag, John snagged it and lifted it above his head.  
  
"Roger, wanna play a game of Kyla in the Middle?" John asked.  
  
Roger looked over, saw the bag of cookies and smirked. "Sure! Pass 'em here!"  
  
John took a cookie, ate it, and threw the bag over to Roger. Roger did the same thing. Kyla struggled with the high throws. Finally, when all of the cookies were eaten, Roger tossed Kyla the bag.  
  
"Here, those cookies were delicious," Roger said.  
  
Kyla looked at the bag, then to Roger. She went over to Alex.  
  
"Alex!!" she whined. "Roger and John ate all my cookies!"  
  
"Aw, you poor baby," Alex said in his loving voice as he hugged her. "I'll buy you more cookies, don't worry."  
  
"It's not like you need them!" Roger said.  
  
"You screw off!" Kyla yelled at Roger.  
  
Roger walked over and playfully tackled her down. Kyla shrieked in laughter as she tried to get him off. Roger started to tickle her, and she shrieked more.  
  
Little did they know, The blood will stop to flow, With the shot of a gun, No one shall have any fun.  
  
Roger laid on his bed and yawned.  
  
"Cleaning is tiring," he muttered.  
  
Mark nodded. "Yes, it is." He laid by Roger.  
  
Roger sat up.  
  
"Erm...Mark?"  
  
"Yeah?" Mark looked a bit puzzled.  
  
"Well...erm...I've been thinking for a while now..." He seemed to be slightly embarrassed.  
  
Mark looked even more puzzled.  
  
"Well...since our relation is becoming more and more serious now...erm...well...I was...well..." He looked at Mark. "Will you marry me?"  
  
Mark blinked, smiled and then he nodded.  
  
"Really?" Roger seemed really happy.  
  
Mark nodded again.  
  
Roger grinned and hugged Mark tightly. "I love you." He kissed him.  
  
"I love you, too." Mark kissed Roger back.  
  
Roger laid back down, cuddling Mark tightly as Mark rested with his head on Roger's chest. Mark kissed Roger's head.  
  
"G'night," Mark said.  
  
"Night," Roger replied.  
  
Both of them fell asleep...both smiling.  
  
Alex and Kyla were both talking in Alex's room. Alex hugged Kyla tightly.  
  
"I love you," he whispered in her ear before he kissed her cheek.  
  
Kyla nodded and said, "Same." She moved closer to him.  
  
Alex started to stroke Kyla's hair gently.  
  
"I...was wondering something..." Alex said, pretty shy sounding.  
  
"What were ya wonderin'?" Kyla asked, curiously.  
  
"Would you...erm...well...even though it is a bit early...erm...would...you be intimate with me?" Alex turned real red.  
  
Kyla smiled and nodded. "OK..."  
  
Alex held her closer.  
  
Roger smoothed down his freshly dyed hair. It was now pitch black and looked real well on him. He looked down at Kyla.  
  
"How does it look?" he asked.  
  
She smiled. "Looks real great! Highly, blonde makes you look too cheerful."  
  
Roger laughed. "Man... You're really great to hang with, know that?"  
  
"You are, also."  
  
"Can't believe we fought about such stupid things..."  
  
"Same."  
  
"Hey, Kyla, could I tell you something? You'd be the first to know, of course."  
  
"Erm, sure."  
  
"Well..." he smiled. "Mark...Mark and I are engaged."  
  
Kyla looked at him with a big smile. "That's great! Hey, since you told me some-thing, I'll tell you something." Her smile turned embarrassed-like. "Alex and I...we, erm... made love."  
  
Roger grinned. "That's great! A bit early, but great! That's a big step into a relationship."  
  
Kyla nodded.  
  
Roger looked down a street. "Can we go and see the old loft?"  
  
Kyla nodded.  
  
The two of them headed down the dangerous street. Even in the day it was dangerous, but right now, at nine o'clock at night, it was real dangerous. As they headed down the street, Roger suddenly stopped.  
  
"...Did you...hear something?" he asked.  
  
She stopped. "No..."  
  
Out of the alleyway, their old gang came, Russell in the lead. Roger and Kyla both took a step back. Russ smirked.  
  
"Well, well, well, men, look who's here," he said. "Roger and the Lynch."  
  
The gang of about twenty other men started to encircle Roger and Kyla. They both went back to back with each other. Kyla held Roger's hand.  
  
"I'm scared..." Kyla whispered.  
  
Roger squeezed Kyla's hand. "Don't worry...we'll survive...this is nothing more than something to scare us..."  
  
"Yeah, you wish!" one of the gang members said.  
  
"We're gonna kill both of you!" Russ told them. "Because...when you leave this gang, you're dead."  
  
Kyla shuddered and Roger glared around the circle. Roger suddenly let go of her hand and attacked a couple of the gang members. He grabbed a gun and pointed it around at the gang members.  
  
"It won't matter, Roger," Russ said. "It's still eighteen to two."  
  
"That's a nine to one ratio!" Kyla muttered, scared out of her wits.  
  
Roger suddenly shot down six other men and flung the empty gun to the ground.  
  
"Now it's twelve to two," he said.  
  
"Attack...." Russ said. "ATTACK!"  
  
Most of the gang attacked Roger, while a couple, including Russ, went for Kyla. Roger knocked most of the guys down with only a few blows. He had knife cuts all over him. He looked over to a struggling Kyla. He rushed over and tried to knock some guys away, but he had lost too much blood already.  
  
"Kyla! Get outta here!" he yelled.  
  
"I ain't gonna leave without you..." Kyla said, near tears. "Mark'll kill me!"  
  
Russ punched Kyla in the gut. "Shu'up, you slut!"  
  
Roger punched Russ. "That's no way to treat a lady!"  
  
Russ shoved Roger several feet back and held his gun up. He stepped forward.  
  
"I told you...when you leave, you're dead," he whispered.  
  
"C'mon, you don't wanna kill us, please!" Roger pleaded. "I have a family, I'm engaged, c'mon, don't do this!"  
  
"We do as we please," Russ said, moving closer.  
  
Roger started to cry softly. The gangsters sneered and started to call him "soft". Russ's gun was now touching Roger's chest.  
  
'I'm going without my glory...wait...this is it...this is my one blaze of glory,' Roger thought. Then, he said: "Pull it."  
  
Russ pulled the trigger; Roger was flung backwards. He looked up into the stars and said, loud and clear, before he took his last breath: "Goodbye, Glory..."  
  
Kyla was totally shocked. She ran over to Roger, crying.  
  
"Roger...Roger!" she was in hysterics. "No!! Don't be dead...c'mon...it's a dream, it's a lie, it's not true, it's just a story!" Tears were flowing down her cheeks. "ROGER!!" She stood up, turned around and glared. "Take me away! Take me away with Roger!"  
  
One of the other gangsters shot her, right in the chest. She fell down by Roger and looked at him.  
  
"...Bye.world..."  
  
Lausanne looked at the clock.  
  
"Where are they?" she asked. "It's midnight."  
  
"Should we look for them?" John asked. "Like...they wouldn't be this late, even if they did go drinking."  
  
"Yeah, we should." She went and got her jacket on.  
  
"Should we wake Mark and Alex? They'd be worrying, also, no?"  
  
"No... let them sleep..."  
  
John got Taj and put his leash on.  
  
"Just in case we need to go to the wrong side," John said.  
  
Lausanne nodded. The two of them headed out. After a while, they were around the loft area. Lausanne looked around.  
  
"...There's blood on the road..." she said, scared.  
  
Taj started jerking on his leash, towards an ally. John had to let the tiger go into the alleyway. He and Lausanne followed Taj. Suddenly, Lausanne choked as her eyes looked at several bodies. Two of them she recognized.  
  
"NO! Oh my gawd!" she started going into shock. "What in the world happened?"  
  
John went over to them.  
  
"JOHN! IT'S NOT THEM!!" Lausanne cried. "It's not!"  
  
"LAUSANNE!" John said sharply as he went over to her. "It is...shh...it's ok." He hugged her tightly as she cried. 


	13. The Last Farewell

Chapter Eleven: The Last Farewell  
  
Everyone looked into the two coffins. Roger and Kyla looked as alive as ever, but they weren't, they were gone. Gone forever...no one could ever let them return. They were gone from everyone and everyone didn't want them gone.  
  
Lausanne was crying into Manley's chest as Manley tried to comfort her with soothing words. Mark was holding a hysteric Charlene. Alex was standing there, softly crying, and John's hand was on his shoulder. Everyone else stood, silently praying and crying.  
  
Finally, after the priest was done his prayer, Mark went over to Roger's coffin. He looked into it. Roger's hair was black, he was pale, but he still looked alive. Mark took a shaky breath.  
  
"I loved Roger...as much as soul mates...that's what we were, soul mates...he didn't want to leave me behind, I know he didn't...I know he-he probably helped to protect Kyla...but.... but she's always has her way...she had to help...it's not...its not their fault they're both gone..." Mark cried a bit more.  
  
Tell me it's not true... Say it's just a story Something on the news Tell me it's not true  
  
John looked at Alex.  
  
"Want to say...one more goodbye?" he asked.  
  
Alex nodded. "...Yeah...yeah, I wanna."  
  
John led Alex up to the two coffins.  
  
"Want...want me to say goodbye first?" he asked.  
  
Alex nodded. John went over to Roger first. "Roger...he was usually mad," John said. "But...he was always caring. That's why he adopted Charlene, I'd say. To spread his caring ability. He might have...argued with some of us, but that's the way he was. Even when he's in the next world, he'll fight with some other angels. You'd never know what Roger was thinking, either. He's always been...something different."  
  
He looked at Kyla.  
  
"And... And... I really don't know what I thought Kyla would be...she was...a bit strange, I must admit, and, hell, she loved those cookies...there's not much I can really say about both of these two, except...I'll miss them so."  
  
Though it's here before me, Say it's just a dream, Say it's just a scene, Of an old movie of years ago  
  
Alex walked up to Roger. He took a deep breath.  
  
"I really never knew Roger...I never took the time to talk to him...but, he really was a good guy despite his temper. He seemed like the type of guy who wanted to live life to the fullest...a guy who didn't want to die without his 'one blaze of glory'...and...I think he did..."  
  
He looked over to Kyla.  
  
"Kyla...I loved her more than imaginable...I'd wake up every morning and smile, knowing I'd get to see her. She was unique, special in her own way. Even though people thought she was miserable, deep down she loved life..." He sniffed. "And, I just want her to know how much I love her..." He stood between the two coffins and said, "Mai Gott ist mit Ihnen beide."  
  
From an old movie of Marilyn Monroe. Say it's just some clowns, Two players in the limelight, And bring the curtain down  
  
Lausanne walked over to Roger.  
  
"Gawd, I don't know what to say without crying or sounding obsessive...I loved Roger like a brother. He was great to be around, even though he always got mad somehow, he always seemed to cheer up right away. He had a lot going for him, had a lot of talent...it's a shame he had to leave...and...and he loved his family, each and every one of them...I'm gonna miss him a lot..."  
  
She looked over at Kyla. Her eyes filled with more tears.  
  
"Kyla was one of my best friends since grade 8...she trusted me with her secrets, I talked to her when she was depressed, we were like sisters. She could always make me laugh and cheer me up in any situation...she was always ready to help...and...and.and..." Lausanne couldn't finish. She started crying more and ran back to Manley.  
  
Say it's just some clowns, Who couldn't get their lines right, Say it's just a show, On the radio  
  
Manley walked over to the coffins.  
  
"My memories of Kyla and Roger are very...well, most of them aren't very welcoming or nice.  
  
"I met both of them at mine and Anthony's concert in January. We were staying at some sleazy hotel and then, suddenly, Kyla said: 'You could at our house!' And...and, so we stayed, and we kinda moved in...mainly everyday the two of them fought, but in the end, they were...they were like brother and sister...amazing, isn't it? When two people get along, what differences it can make, eh?"  
  
He walked back over to Lausanne and cradled her.  
  
That we can turn over and start, again, That we can turn over, it's just a game. Tell me it's not true;  
  
Say I only dreamed it  
  
Cid walked up, tear-stained.  
  
"Both Roger and Kyla were...they were close to me, I know. I would talk with one about the other and such...was funny when one thought that one was egotistical and the other a lard ass. It was the best of times; just hanging out at their place, playing poker, any type of poker we could think of. As Manley said, both of them were like brother and sister...just look at them right now...they look like brother and sister..."  
  
He patted each coffin and went back over to where everyone was standing.  
  
And morning will come soon. Tell me it's not true, Say you didn't mean it, Say it's just pretend  
  
Collins and Angel walked over to both coffins.  
  
"Roger was a good friend of mine for several years now," Collins said. "He's always been there to talk and maybe even to have a few beers here and there. Now that he's gone, his memory will always be with Angel and me here. I've...I don't think I've really fought with him at all. Maybe once...when we were drunk...but th-that's basically it."  
  
"Kyla was a sweetie at times," Angel said. "She worked hard to support everyone, even Roger, who she said she hated. We all know...deep down, she loved him, as much as she loved everyone else. We'll miss them both."  
  
Say it's just the end Of an old movie from years ago Of an old movie with Marilyn Monroe  
  
Cid and some of his crewmembers carried to the graves specially carved grave markings. Both were shaped to look like their owner. They were so perfect, every little detail. Each one had Roger or Kyla's dates and one simple line: "In honor of two great people."  
  
One by one, everyone left. Afterwards, everyone went his or her own ways. Mark and Charlene still lived in the small city outside New York City. The couples all stayed together and once a week, Mark and Charlene visited the graves.  
  
So, can we blame what was foretold? These two mournful deaths? As they died before they could Take one last breath? Or, perhaps, the young girl's luck? As she relied on it As much as the chickens And their cluck? Maybe, perhaps, the man's choice, If he only listened to his inside voice, Perhaps they would be able To live just one more day. 


End file.
